


one thousand songs

by hirokiyuu



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, au - Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, au - When They Cry, au - X/1999, au - zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-07 14:31:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8804563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hirokiyuu/pseuds/hirokiyuu
Summary: a collection of enstars ficlets from around the webch9: multichara/ship - 3sen collection, jan-june2017ch10: multiship - dialogue req collectionch11: tsumugi/eichi - higurashi auNEW! ch12: shuu/nazuna - 1st years, drabble





	1. 3sen collection

**shuu + nazuna - pirate au**

The pirates have already boarded the _Jackrabbit_ by the time Nazuna makes his way above deck; leading them is a figure he could recognize blind. “Where’s the captain of this vessel?” Itsuki snaps at one of the kids, imperious as ever, and Nazuna lets the door slam shut loudly behind him.

“That,” he announces, voice steady even as Itsuki whirls to look at him with wide eyes, “would be me.”

**adonis + souma - fishing au**

When Souma is fifteen his family takes him to the beach for a summer; they tell him to make friends, but Souma ignores them in favor of making his way to the docks every morning before dawn with a fishing pole in hand, hoping to find one of the creatures the club president is always talking about so fondly. He’s surprised to find another boy there every day as well, already sitting with his line cast by the time Souma arrives, and even though they never speak, over time Souma begins feeling a strange camaraderie with him.

Two weeks into his trip, his parents ask him if he’s made any friends; “I have,” he answers, and hopes it’s true.

**keito/eichi - "And in every universe..."**

“…I’d find you,” Eichi whispers against Keito’s skin, “and I’d choose you, again and again.” It should be frightening – he’s known Eichi barely a week, there’s nothing that should inspire these kinds of words in him – and yet it isn’t, because there’s something so familiar about Eichi, as if Keito has known him for months, for years, for millenia.

“I would too,” Keito whispers back, his arms tightening around Eichi, and closes his eyes.

**shu/nazuna - gardening au**

Itsuki’s hands on plants are the most gentle things. They’re what Nazuna first fell in love with, all those years ago, when he’d seen Itsuki in the flower shop arranging bouquets behind the counter with a scowl on his face and the most tender hands. They’re what catch Nazuna’s eye now, as Itsuki stands on his doorstep, holding out a bouquet with fingers shaking ever so slightly, and they’re what prompt Nazuna to step forward and accept it with a slow, tiny smile.

**shu + nazuna + mika - steampunk au**

Neither he nor Mika had any idea that Itsuki was building the wings until they’re finished – giant, clunky things that Nazuna has no doubt will let him fly. “Put them on,” Itsuki orders, and so Nazuna’s shrugging himself into the harness, Itsuki making last minute adjustments to their fit as he does.

“Have fun, Nazuna-nii!” Mika says, as Nazuna stands at the top of the cliff, Itsuki and Mika just behind him, and then – Nazuna leaps.

**shuu/nazuna - coffeeshop au**

Shuu hates this whole shop -- hates how small it is, how full of people it always seems to be, how overpriced its goods are for their terrible quality. And yet week after week finds Shuu back inside, handing over money that would be better spent elsewhere for one of the worst croissants of his life. But when the cashier smiles at him, red eyes bright and warm even in the shop’s terrible lighting, Shuu can’t bring himself to regret it.

**kaoru + kanata - merman au**

The creature in front of Kaoru is undeniably inhuman -- skin so pale it looks like a corpse, blue eyes with clear sideways-blinking eyelids, fins sprouting delicately from its neck and webbed fingers that it used to drag itself onto the beach. Its most distinguishing feature, however, is the long tail where its legs should be, a muted blue with tiny gold flecks that catch the light of the setting sun.

The creature smiles at Kaoru, slow and sweet, and Kaoru’s breath catches in his throat, because he’s never seen anything like it.

**shuu + nazuna + mika - battle royale au**

They give the gun to Itsuki. None of them trust Mika to make a shot, and Nazuna doesn’t think he would have it in him to put a bullet in one of the classmates he’d been at studying with only days ago. “I’ll protect both of you,” Itsuki vows, loading rounds into the shotgun, and what Nazuna thinks but doesn’t say is: _Only one of us is allowed to survive this_.

**shuu + nazuna - fire emblem au**

After the Emperor decimates their forces, Nazuna lays down his spear for a staff, buries his pegasus where it fell in battle, and learns to heal. When he closes his eyes he still sees Itsuki, leaning on his sword, struggling to even walk as the Emperor smiled and swung his sword one last time. Itsuki’s breathing still, but barely, the gashes on his chest wider than Nazuna’s hand, and if Nazuna can’t heal them there’ll be no one left to try.

**ryuuseitai - birdmen au**

Midori’s the only one that doesn’t trust Morisawa, now; Sengoku liked him from the start and Nagumo was won over by his “hero of justice” act that Midori still can’t believe in. He doesn’t trust Shinkai, either, but Shinkai only ever seems to float along with whatever Morisawa says is a good idea, so most of Midori’s suspicions fall on their so-called leader. Everyone else may have forgotten, but Midori still remembers how Morisawa looked when he came to “save” them: a being of pure darkness whose eyes, despite the fire all around them, didn't catch a single flicker of light.

**shuu + mika - fe:a au, shuu as grima's avatar**

Shuu slips out of camp in the middle of the night, the scent of smoke in his nose, his hands shaking from memories that couldn’t possibly belong to him. He can still feel his sword in Kagehira’s flesh, can still remember the single smooth motion that was all it took to fell the prince of the nation, can still feel his face splitting open into a smile with far too many teeth. Slowly, Shuu raises a hand, presses it to his cheeks to check for extra eyes, and when he touches only smooth flesh his relief is smothered under the odd certainty that though he might be human now, he won’t be for long.

**rei/keito - demon/exorcist au**

The entrapment circle is exquisitely well crafted -- Rei nudges it with the tip of his boot, can’t feel any give at all, even when he presses against it with less physical aspects of himself. “Very well done, Hasumi-kun,” he murmurs, smiling, showing just a hint of teeth; Hasumi doesn’t smile back but he doesn’t immediately start chanting an exorcism, either, so Rei counts that as a point in his favor. He might not be able to brute force his way out, but Rei's noticed the way Hasumi looked at him, before he realized what Rei was, and Rei’s smile grows just a tad more when he realizes that there might be another escape route for him.

**chiaki + izumi - cop/phantom thief au**

Chiaki catches up to Sena in the back of the museum, where the rest of the force assumed no one would be foolish enough to try and escape from. Izumi Sena, however, is not like other thieves; Chiaki rounds the corner just as Sena opens the window and pulls himself onto the sill. Sena scowls when he sees Chiaki, clicks his tongue as he vanishes out the window with his stolen prize tucked carefully under his arm, and as Chiaki runs to the window he grins fiercely-- without a doubt, he’ll get Sena next time.

**rei + ritsu - yokai au**

Rei finds the creature among the hydrangeas, some strange ancient solemnity oozing from its presence even as it sprawls inelegantly in the flowers, covered in mud. Its entire appearance is utterly fascinating: red eyes to match Rei’s own, horns poking through curled black hair, a sloppily tied kimono made of expensive silks. Rei stares at it for a while, watches it watch him, and then he extends his umbrella over the creature’s head with a smile.

**koga + adonis - merman au**

The sun’s only just started to rise when Adonis sees the boy lying on the beach. Adonis makes his way over quickly, because the boy isn’t moving and the seas are dangerous in this time of year. He gets closer, and closer, and then three feet away he abruptly stops, because the boy -- he thinks, looking down at the tail that had been hidden behind a rocky outcropping -- this boy isn’t a boy at all.

**rei + keito - medieval au**

The church seems empty when Keito pushes the doors open, but the clanking of his armor and the doors’ loud creaking would have been enough warning for any stragglers to hide under pews or behind pillars. There’s only one straggler that would be here, though: only one disgraced nobleman blasphemous enough to think a church would be an acceptable place for an afternoon nap. “Sakuma,” he calls, and when a single pale hand waves from behind a pew, Keito’s grip on his sword loosens just a fraction despite the irritation that spikes in him at the sight.

**ritsu + izumi - tea shop (?) au**

The tea shop’s empty when Izumi steps in, and he looks down at the address Naru’d given him to make sure he’d got the right place. It’s small and cramped, dusty shelves lining the walls, nothing at all like a place he’d imagine Naru ever going -- and then suddenly there’s a voice in his ear, asking “Can I help you?” and Izumi jumps so violently he rips the paper in two. He turns, scowl already on his face, -- and then he meets a pair of red eyes that seem to glow in the shop’s dim light, and he stops, suddenly feeling infinitely out of his depth.

**keito + eichi - dark magic au**

They call him a necromancer, but that’s not really the word for what Keito’s trying to do. Eichi’s still alive, after all -- suspended perfectly in the moment just before death, his heart still beating and his breath still coming, even if his eyes don’t open and he doesn’t move; there’s no reanimation needed because Eichi isn’t dead. Keito’s cutting open doves, splattering blood on the floor, but it’s not necromancy, it’s not dark magic, because what he’s doing is going to save a life, and there’s nothing dark about that at all.

**kaoru/kanata - soulmates au**

He touches Kanata on a whim -- reaches a hand out one day at the beach and tugs on a lock that keeps sticking up in the wind. Under his fingers it the color drains away to reveal a bright shimmering gold, and Kaoru watches with widening eyes as the blue seems to flow onto his fingers, curling itself into the shape of bubbles that extend all the way up his arm. “Kaoru?” Kanata asks -- his _soulmate_ asks -- and as he looks at his mark he has no idea at all how he should respond.

**kaoru/kanata - inception au**

“Would you ever want to dream with me?” Kanata asks one day, leaning his head back so he can watch Kaoru take a long drag from his cigarette. Kaoru’s unbuttoned his shirt in the heat, and like this Kanata can see the lines of Kaoru’s collarbones; Kaoru’s eyes are pointed somewhere in the distance so Kanata lets himself stare.

Kaoru sighs, exhaling smoke, and as it curls in the air he admits, softly, “I don’t ever like to dream.”

**nazuna/shuu + mika - reincarnation (bnk) au**

nazuna doesn’t have them back, he tells himself, when mika comes up to him with a smile and a “nii-sama!” or when itsuki reaches out with hesitant hands. they’re kagehira mika and itsuki shuu, an underclassman and a classmate, not a sister and a lover. remembering this is the only way he can be nito nazuna -- the only way he can be an ordinary high schooler and not a prince soaked in blood.

**shuu/nazuna - ballet au**

They used to call him a prodigy -- Nazuna remembers when Shuu first went on pointe, after not even a year of lessons, pulling up into a perfect fifth. Nazuna sits in the hospital, getting comfortable in his usual corner seat, and thinks about the past: about performance after performance in enormous sold-out venues, about newspaper headlines and eight hour practices and the way Shuu looked at himself in the mirror, sometimes, as if he didn’t know who was looking back out. And Nazuna knows it was the end of Shuu’s dreams, but when Shuu walks out of physical therapy, scowling but on steady feet, he takes Shuu’s hand and can’t bring himself to feel anything but glad.

**tea club - mafia au**

They go to negotiations as a trio: Hajime on the left, smiling sweetly and looking softer than any boy carrying knives as wicked as his ever should; Ritsu on the right, yawns and lazy stretches doing nothing to counter the danger conveyed by the brightness in his eyes. Eichi leads, of course, always looking pleasant, always looking calm, until they sit down at the table and his smile unsheathes itself to reveal sharp edges. They’re not what anyone expected, when Eichi first took over the family a year ago -- they’re much, much more dangerous.

**kaoru/kanata - 50 1st dates au**

There’s a boy sitting at his usual table when he comes in; he waves when he sees Kanata looking at him, so Kanata makes his way over. “Hello,” Kanata says, a little unsure, “and I’m sorry, but do I know you?”

The boy’s smile dims for a moment before it returns full force, and he says, “No, but I’d like you to.”

**tori/hajime - zombie au**

Hibiki comes back from the supply run later than expected, smiling and bubbly; “I met my dearest kouhai,” he sing-songs, describing his encounter, and when he talks about his kouhai’s companions recognition comes near-instantly to Tori.

“Where are they?!” he interrupts, slamming his hands on the table as he leans forward, heart suddenly pounding, because if it’s really Hajime, Tori has to find him, right now.

Hibiki raises an eyebrow but answers, “We left at the same time, but they said they would be heading north --” and that’s all Tori needs to hear before he’s grabbing his pack and running out the door, ignoring Yuzuru and Tenshouin-nii-sama’s confused shouts as he goes alone into the apocalypse.

**marine bio club - playing pokego**

So Kaoru might suck at throwing Pokeballs, but at least he’s not the one who threw his actual phone when he saw a Pokemon. He’s gonna be teasing Souma about that for _weeks_ \-- and then halfway through his snicker he hears an awful plop. He turns, suddenly feeling nervous, and when he looks behind him Kanata is halfway submerged in the tank, phone in hand, and he and Souma make eye contact for only a split second before they both rush to the tank to pull Kanata out as fast as they can.

**kaoru + kanata - merman au, pt2**

He’s gotten used to being with the creature -- only thinking of him as ‘the creature’ doesn’t sit right with Kaoru, not anymore. “You need a name,” he says, and the creature looks up at him and makes that same croaking noise he always does when Kaoru mentions names; Kaoru shakes his head and replies, “Something I can actually say.”

He reaches out, tangles his features in the creature’s blue hair, thinks about love and distance and how everything ends: “Kanata,” he says, and Kanata presses his head into Kaoru’s hand and watches Kaoru with those soft, intelligent eyes.

**kaoru + kanata - virtue's last reward au**

“Kaoru,” Kanata says, as Kaoru’s finger hovers over the betray button, “Nazuna said he would ally.”

“I know,” Kaoru says, and glances down to the watch on Kanata’s wrist showing a ‘1’ in bright blue, “but I don’t want to risk it.”

“ _Kaoru_ ,” Kanata says, voice heavy with disapproval as Kaoru presses the screen, but it’s fine, because at least this way, Kanata won’t die.

**kaoru + kanata - beach cafe au**

It’s a stormy day in late summer when the bell rings unexpectedly; Kanata floats over with a “Welcome,” on his lips that dies when he sees a stranger standing just inside the cafe, dripping wet and rubbing his eyes.

Kanata pulls the kerchief from his breast pocket without a second thought and presses it to the stranger’s face; the stranger goes bright red and seems to notice Kanata for the first time. He opens his mouth, already looking embarrassed, but before he can apologize Kanata smiles at him, and asks, “Would you like to sit down?”

**shuu/nazuna - 25 lives au**

He’s learned to find Nazuna by his motions. Appearances change but Nazuna’s way of smiling, the way his hands reach up to cover his mouth when he laughs, the curve his eyes make when he's teasing -- those are universal constants. Shuu watches and waits and in every life, he follows Nazuna’s movements all the way home.

**kaoru/kanata - crane wife au**

Kaoru’s taken to dreaming of that bird in the clearing. Kanata is looking more and more tired every day and yet when Kaoru closes his eyes his dreams are of feathers, of wings, and he wishes that he could take Kanata into the sky and away from whatever sickness is eating at him. “Don't worry, Kaoru,” Kanata says, pressing kisses to Kaoru’s eyelids when he emerges from his weaving room each night, but how can he not, when Kanata is dying by inches and there's nothing Kaoru can do to stop it?

**shuu/nazuna - pygmalion au**

When Shuu comes back from the festival his studio is empty. His blood goes cold and for a second he's frozen -- then there's a crash and he looks up to see a familiar figure in the door, looking as surprised to see Shuu as Shuu is to see him.

“Um, hello,” says the boy that Shuu carved from granite only a day ago, “welcome home.”

**makoto + shinobu - wizardry au**

This time of year the lake is always quiet; Shinobu slips out of the house to practice his charms, casting sparkling lights out over the lake’s surface. He’s not supposed to use magic outside, but it always looks so beautiful under the stars and he can never quite resist.

And then one night as he draws cats and frogs in sparkling yellow in the sky, a voice asks, “What are you doing?” and Shinobu freezes.

**shuu/nazuna - beauty and the beast au**

“I don't belong to you,” Nazuna says, even as he cleans the Beast’s wounds with gentle hands, “and I won't let you tell me how to live my life.” The Beast hisses as he presses against a particularly deep cut, but Nazuna doesn't pull away. “Still,” he says, and smiles sweetly, “you saved my life, so thank you.”

**ryuuseitai - birdmen au, pt2**

It's not as though Midori ever dreamt of flight -- given the option he'd prefer to keep his feet planted on the ground, thank you very much -- but right now he’s got no option. “C’mon, Takamine!” Morisawa says with that bright smile, pushing Midori closer and closer to the building’s edge, “What are you afraid of?”

_You_ , Midori thinks, just as Morisawa gives him one final shove and Midori trips off the top of the skyscraper.

**shuu/nazuna - graduation confession**

He finds Nazuna among the cherry blossoms, staring at the school with a distant expression, diploma dangling loosely from his fingers. “Nito,” Shuu says, and then goes quiet, because he still can't trust his own words to be honest. Instead, when Nazuna turns to him, eyes wide, all Shuu does is pull his second button from his blazer and hold it out, fingers trembling.

**rei/keito - honeypot au**

Rei’s mastered the art of personal space. It's easy to use it to his advantage, sliding close and pressing a knee against Hasumi Keito’s, near enough that he's obviously flirting but not so near that he's being rude. “Hi,” he says, smiling slowly, and when Hasumi looks at him, appraising but distant, Rei’s smile widens; this, he knows, is going to be fun.

**shuu + mika - xxxholic au**

“So,” says the shopkeeper, pipe dangling carelessly from between two fingers, “do we have a deal?”

And Mika knows he should say no, knows that he should get up and leave, because he's seen enough movies to know deals like this don't come cheap. But he can't stop thinking about faeries in his hair, about things with gaping jaws, and so against his better judgement he looks the shopkeeper in the eye and says, “Alright.”

**hajime/tori - candyshop au**

Their new regular really suits the shop, Hajime thinks: bubblegum pink hair, and a smile sweeter than any of the candies on display; against his better judgement Hajime finds himself staring every time the boy walks in.

So when the door opens at three, Hajime is ready, eyes already lifting, but when the boy walks in he makes a beeline for the counter instead of looking around. “Can I help you?” Hajime asks, already flustered, and the boy smacks a hand on the counter, asking, “Wh-what time do you get off work?” with a blush, and Hajime feels himself going pink to match.

**nazuna + natsume - sorcerer au**

Nazuna can't see the top of the sorcerer’s tower, even when he tilts his head back far as it can go; the building disappears into the dark storm clouds above. Still, he has a mission, so instead of turning around he raises a hand to knock -- only before his knuckles can touch the door it swings open, a boy standing in the doorway. “Welcome,” he says, with a smile like knives, “and how may I help you, Nito Nazuna?”

**nazuna + izumi - tennis au**

By the time the match ends Izumi is dead on his feet. That shrimp is _good_ , skinny limbs and short stature hiding a pretty ridiculous amount of athleticism, and about the only comfort Izumi can take is that he looks just as tired as Izumi feels. “Hey,” Izumi calls to the other side of the court, and when the shrimp meets Izumi’s eyes Izumi can't help the tiny grin that steals across his face as he asks, “What's your name?”

**shuu - timeloop au**

Around the tenth time panic starts to set in. Over and over he's tried, fixed the broadcasting equipment, changed their performance, even refused the live with fine. Still, it doesn't matter -- by the time their third year rolls around Valkyrie is a disgrace and Nazuna is gone, Shuu left with nothing but the ashes of what they were and the growing fear that their failure is simply meant to be.

**yuzuru + koga - 'water bottle'**

“Here,” the boy says, holding out a water bottle with a gentle smile; Koga takes it reluctantly as he eyes the boy, because something about him looks familiar, and not in a good way.

The boy tilts his head, and the way a shadow falls over it triggers a memory -- an alley, a fight, that slick rush of anger that came with the thought that some bastards just never played fair. Koga takes a sip slowly, and when he lifts it from his lips he says meaningfully, “Don't I know you from somewhere?”

**chiaki + izumi - soul eater au**

They used to call Chiaki useless -- a single set of brass knuckles leaves a meister half open, after all, and no sane fighter would ever want that. And then Sena Izumi showed up, picked up Chiaki and proceeded to crush every single other pair during sparring like it was nothing. They've still got a lot of names for Chiaki -- crazy, idiotic, terrifying -- but useless, at least, isn't one of them.

**yuzuru/koga - indirect kiss**

He doesn't like Oogami Koga, not at all -- Yuzuru watches from the bench as Koga passes the soccer ball to Isara with a triumphant smile, watches Koga pump a fist in the air with a yell as Isara makes a goal, and something in his chest feels hot and tight when Koga wraps an arm cheerfully around Isara’s shoulders. Koga jogs back to the bench when the whistle is blown, still grinning, and even when he sees Yuzuru the expression doesn't fade. “Good job,” Yuzuru says kindly, holding out his own water bottle, and when Koga says, “Thanks!” and puts it to his mouth, Yuzuru can't tear his eyes away from the spot where his own lips had been, only minutes ago.

**eichi/yuzuru - yuzuru losing his polite facade**

It’s Wataru who pulls him off the fan, finally; Tori’s buried his face into Eichi’s side, shaking, and Eichi has his own reasons for not moving. “Get _off_ of me,” Yuzuru snarls, bucking to try and push Wataru off; he’s all teeth and fierce narrowed eyes, blood trickling from his split lip, as the man who’d had the audacity to be a little too handsy with Tori finally manages to pull himself to his feet and sprint away. It’s -- _exhilarating_ is the only word Eichi can think of to describe it, and he can't shake the feeling he’ll be thinking about Yuzuru’s bruised knuckles against his lips for weeks to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -re:the mermaid ficlet: according to the wiki, kanata's name is a homophone for a word that means "faraway."  
> -zomb au might be mildly confusing bc it's part of a much larger au that a friend wanted to see some stuff from but??? i hope it still came out ok


	2. shuu/nazuna - zombie au

the building shuu pulls up in front of is without a doubt the most illegal structure he’s ever entered, a pre-rising home built before electricity ever even existed, with all the safety hazards to match. every time shuu goes inside he’s breaking at least fifty different government regulations, half of which could justify a bullet in his brain. as long as no one knows, though -- that’s all that matters. he cuts the engine and after a careful scan of the perimeter for any movement shuu grabs his bag and steps out.

he crosses the porch in two fast steps, pushing the door open quickly after a quick glance down. it’s empty -- he’d taken the time to board all the other windows and doors up, and every time he left he smudged the handle with coal in a design that only he would ever recognize. as long as it was still whole, the house was empty and he was safe.

the door gets bolted behind him; he takes his gun and his bag with him but drops his helmet at the door, taking the stairs two at a time. by the time he reaches the hall he’s all but running across the house, pushing open the last bedroom door. “nito,” he gasps, dropping all pretenses of composure, flying to the closet door, hands shaking as they spin through lock combinations as fast as they can. “nito, i’m here.” the first lock drops to the floor, then the second, and then the third and fourth. he slides the key hanging on his neck off to open the last, and then the closet door is finally, finally open.

nazuna turns his head towards shuu, pupils blown out and unseeing but nose twitching. his mouth opens, and he does an odd half-shuffle towards shuu that’s cut off by the collar on his neck. shuu crosses the closet, old bones cracking under his feet, and drops to his knees a practiced half step outside of nazuna’s radius. “here,” he says, and pulls the bag open before dropping the contents in front of nazuna. “eat up.”

nazuna’s head follows the motion, and then slowly his fingers stretch out and he picks up a severed arm. that motion always makes shuu relax -- dexterity is the first thing to leave any decaying infected; as long as nazuna can still grab things shuu knows that his body hasn’t started to break down.

shuu watches nazuna rip into the corpse piece by piece. the amount of food shuu has to bring him is nearly impossible to gather, but shuu would move heaven and earth if it kept nazuna whole for one more day. well-fed infected can last; all shuu has to do is help nazuna take in the requisite amount of nutrients and nazuna will keep together long enough for scientists to deliver a cure. he has to.

he doesn’t realize he’s started shaking until nazuna looks up at him. he moans slowly, and the sound of it is so close to the sound of shuu’s name that before he knows what he’s doing shuu’s moved forward into the radius of nazuna’s collar.

somehow, miraculously, nazuna doesn’t move. his head turns to follow shuu, but other than that his body is still. all conventional wisdom is saying nazuna’s teeth should be going straight for shuu’s throat, but instead he just watches and waits.

like this it’s easy to pretend. shuu can’t help it. “nazuna,” he says, and reaches out to touch nazuna’s skin. it’s warm. shuu’s breath catches in his throat, and he shudders.

nazuna lets out that same moan, the one that sounds almost like it could be shuu’s name. like an idiot shuu moves closer and closer, until his face is an inch from nazuna’s own. this near it’s more obvious than ever that nazuna doesn’t need to breathe.

slowly shuu leans forward and presses a kiss to the corner of nazuna’s mouth. he’s playing with fire -- spit is just as good of a conductor of infection as anything -- but he doesn’t pull back. “i love you,” he whispers, letting his lips drag across nazuna’s skin. and maybe it’s the fact that nazuna just ate, or maybe somehow nazuna realizes shuu is the only one feeding him, but he doesn’t bite, just sits, perfectly still. “i love you so much,” shuu says, voice cracking, and kisses nazuna one last time before he pulls away.

his hands are still shaking. there’s something wet on his cheek, and when he presses a hand to it he realizes that he’s crying. he stands unsteadily, stumbling a little as he moves back. “i’ll be back soon,” he promises. nazuna looks at him with blank eyes, before his attention shifts down to the rest of the food that shuu had dropped out of his bag. his hands curl around a dead cat, and shuu lets himself take strength from that motion. “i promise.”

he locks the closet back up, descends down the stairs with heavy steps, and closes the front door carefully behind him. with one final look up to a bedroom he hasn’t slept in since he was seven years old, shuu drives away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: i owe tori closet kisses but reading newsflesh trilogy is making me wanna write zombies really bad  
> tori, jokingly: just combine them  
> me, incapable of taking a joke: ok
> 
> also, if anyone has read newsflesh and would like 2 talk 2 me abt this au, i'm @hirokiyuus on twitter and i'm dying abt a) this ship and b) this series perpetually


	3. shuu/nazuna - first kiss

nazuna is never content to leave well enough alone, shuu has learnt. even from the start of valkyrie, even when he’d been dancing to shuu’s tune, there had been so many instances of him tugging shuu to the cafeteria, or pulling him out of the handicrafts club room to see the sunlight, or asking sweetly if shuu would walk home with him instead of staying at school and working.

and even now, even when shuu is cruel, and can’t stop the insults and abuses from spilling from his mouth every time nazuna nears, nazuna comes keep coming back. he doesn’t understand that shuu is a broken useless thing -- doesn’t realize that there were things you just had to give up on.

and yet over time being with nazuna becomes easier. _don't hurt him_ , shuu tells himself, _i don't want to hurt him_ , and the more he says it the easier that instruction becomes. one day when nazuna approaches him they speak, and when nazuna walks away smiling, he realized he hadn’t said anything horribly caustic at all. he’d even told nazuna he’d see him later in place of a farewell.

naturally this is unacceptable. “see you later?” no. shuu knows what kind of person he is. being around nazuna would only hurt him in the end.

the next time nazuna calls out to him, shuu keeps walking. he avoids nazuna in the halls, takes different routes to and from classes and practice rooms, and even eats lunch in the bathroom to avoid being cornered. by the time he slips into the handicrafts club room after school, he’s tired. against his better judgement he wants to see nazuna.

he makes it to the table, sets his bag and mademoiselle both down. when the door opens again. he looks up, and even though he knows he shouldn’t be he’s happy.

“you’ve been avoiding me,” nazuna says without preamble, sliding the door shut behind him. he locks it and walks over, stopping just in front of shuu.

shuu can't meet his eyes. “you shouldn't have followed me.”

in his peripheral shuu can see nazuna frowning. “why wouldn't i? i wanted to talk to you.”

that isn't a statement shuu is equipped to deal with. he stands, but nazuna doesn't move back, and shuu feels trapped, suddenly. “why?” he asks, and this close he can see every single one of nazuna’s eyelashes.

nazuna's lips part, curling down. _ah, i’ve hurt him again_ , shuu thinks, and nazuna gives him a small, sad smile. “i thought we were finally starting to be friends again,” he says, and even though he knows he should be grateful all that sentence does is make shuu’s heart hurt.

“i don't want to be your friend,” shuu says, cold as he can be, and tries to move around nazuna. before he can, nazuna holds out an arm, grabbing onto shuu, and just like that shuu freezes. nazuna is warm, warm, warm -- of everyone shuu has ever touched only nazuna has ever felt like this, like someplace to come home to. he hadn't touched nazuna in months. shuu had almost forgotten what it felt like.

“did i do something wrong?” nazuna’s voice has a tiny quiver in it. he's looking up at shuu, his eyes wide and worried, and when he bites his lip shuu’s eyes tangle in the motion and before he knows quite what he's doing he's leaning down.

nazuna tastes like strawberry chapstick. the significance of that observation takes a second to process, and then shuu practically throws himself back. nazuna's staring up at him, wide-eyed, cheeks going pink.

“i-- apologize,” shuu manages, and moves to leave again. he shouldn't have done that -- even back when they'd been in valkyrie together there had been liberties shuu had know better than to take, and this was one of them. and yet with his mind slipping the way it had been of late, was it really any wonder he’d given into his strongest desire? he had to leave, before he made another mistake.

before he can make it out the door a hand comes up, snags on his own. “itsuki,” nazuna says, and his voice is intent. “when you say you don’t want to be my friend, do you mean…?” itsuki can’t look down. nazuna’s eyes will take him apart if he does. “itsuki,” nazuna says again, and gives his wrist another tug. “ _shuu._ ”

shuu can’t help it. he looks down, and nazuna is staring at him, his eyes burning. shuu’s throat hurts. “nito,” he says anyways, because how could anyone look at nazuna demanding speech like this and be silent? “i want…” how could anyone look at nazuna like this and admit the kinds of desires shuu has?

“do you love me?”

shuu’s breath shudders out of him. “yes,” he says, and closes his eyes. “of course.”

it’s silent. shuu listens to the beat of his heart in his ear, and waits for nazuna’s judgement.

instead, fingers intertwine with his own.

shuu’s eyes shoot open. nazuna’s looking up at him, red-faced and -- shuu swallows. he’s _smiling_ , bright and warm, the way that he always does in shuu’s dreams. “good,” nazuna says, and lets out a tiny giggle. “i’m so glad.” shuu’s certain he’s gaping, but how can he not, when nazuna is looking up at him like this? nazuna’s free hand comes up, tucks a lock of hair behind his ear, and his smile looks a little bashful as he says, “i love you too.”

this isn’t real. this can’t possibly be real. there’s no universe where nito nazuna would look itsuki shuu in the eye and possibly say that combination of words. and yet nazuna’s hand in his own is warm and solid, undeniable proof of the world shuu finds himself in. “you love me,” shuu says out loud, just to hear it, and nazuna’s grin widens.

“yeah,” nazuna says. his hand squeezes shuu’s. “i do.”

“me,” shuu says, just to make sure.

nazuna laughs out loud this time. “ _yes,_ ” he says, stepping so he’s right up against shuu’s chest. “yes,” he says, other hand coming to catch shuu’s free one. “always.”

shuu is certain he’s still gaping. nazuna laughs again. “and you love me too,” he says, grinning up, and all shuu can do is nod, mutely. “good.” nazuna says, and his smile is blinding again. and then -- then --

his second taste of strawberry chapstick comes just as unexpectedly as the first. this time, though, he doesn’t pull away. slowly, shuu closes his eyes, bends his head down, grip tightening on nazuna’s hands. only when he’s out of breath do their lips part, and he rests his head against nazuna’s, heart fuller than it’s ever been.

“is this really alright?” he asks, quietly.

so close like this he can’t see nazuna’s expression. still, he can feel nazuna’s forehead wrinkle against his. “yes,” nazuna says, simply, and like this shuu can feel nazuna’s breath on his lips.

shuu swallows. “okay,” he manages, and he can feel his hands shake. still, nazuna’s are in them, soft and warm, and so he breathes in, breathes out, flexes his fingers just once. “okay,” he says again, and then he leans back in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've owed tori this for a thousand years and i'm still not sure how i feel abt this but y'know, it's fine, i like the imagery, who cares,


	4. shuu/nazuna - christmas, pre-live

He hesitates just before the infirmary door but in the end there’s nothing else to do but push it open and go on through, even though his hands rest too long on the door handle and stepping through the threshold his throat is dry.

But when he makes it in it turns out he’d worried for nothing. Itsuki is there, yes, but asleep, cheeks flushed and breathing heavy, ropes tying him to the bed. Nazuna takes that in with a blink, and yet all the same he’s not surprised. A smile spreads slow across his face without him quite meaning for it too, and before he knows it he’s made his way to Itsuki’s side.

The washcloth on his forehead’s gone warm. Nazuna lifts it gently, and as he does he pauses, arrested by Itsuki’s features. Even red faced and sniffling Itsuki’s a sight for sore eyes, and Nazuna reaches out to push Itsuki’s hair from his forehead gently as he can. His hand lingers at Itsuki’s temple as he takes in the sight of Itsuki’s face relaxed in front of him, and then suddenly Itsuki’s head turns, pushing lightly against Nazuna’s hand.

Nazuna stands, makes his way to the sink, and as he rinses the washcloth he raises one cold hand to press against his own warm cheek. He wrings the cloth out and then moves back to Itsuki’s side, pushing Itsuki’s hair back again to rest it on his forehead. Itsuki gives a tiny little sigh of relief as he does, and Nazuna’s smiling again, hopelessly.

“Don’t worry,” he says, quietly. “I won’t let anything happen to Valkyrie.”

Itsuki gives another tiny sigh, tilting his head towards Nazuna, but his eyes are still closed. Nazuna should go and yet he stays, perched lightly on the side of the bed, watching the slow rise and fall of Itsuki’s chest. He starts to reach out, pauses, but Itsuki’s asleep and they’re alone, so Nazuna lets himself touch, lightly, lets his hand pause on Itsuki’s jaw. His skin is too hot but Nazuna doesn’t pull away; it’s only when Itsuki turns his head into Nazuna’s touch again that Nazuna pulls back.

He stands slowly, looks down, but there’s things to be done before tonight, so somehow Nazuna tears his eyes away and leaves the infirmary, closing the door softly behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> subtitled "merry crisis" bc that's how i felt after reading the goddamn christmas event


	5. hajime/touri - x/1999 au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> boys and dream beaches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "this is really self indulgent" you say, as if somehow i've ever written anything that isn't

“it’s just so  _ boring _ ,” touri huffs, flopping back in the sand and closing his eyes. “they never let me go anywhere on my own, it’s always just ‘young master’ this and ‘young master’ that!” he can hear the tiniest huff of laughter at his side but he keeps his mouth in a pout as he whines. “i want to see the ocean. the  _ real  _ ocean!”

“alright,” hajime says, easily, much closer than touri expected. when he opens his eyes, hajime is leaning right over him, smile easy and kind even as amusement plays around the edges. “then we’ll go.”

touri blinks. “what?”

“to the ocean.” it’s just a dream but touri’s half convinced he can smell hajime anyways, citrus in his nose when the breeze blows. “not right now, but someday.”

“when someday,” touri asks, and his tone is less petulant than he means it to be, more breathless.

hajime’s smile softens. “someday soon,” he promises, reaching up to tuck his hair behind his ear. the tip of it is pink. “we’ll go together, alright?”

touri stares, committing this moment to memory: the slight crookedness of hajime’s teeth, hajime’s bitten down nails, the way he can see waves in hajime’s eyes. “yeah,” he says, pushing himself up on his elbows, so close the edges of hajime’s hair tickle his cheeks. “it’s a promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if u liked it reviews/kudos are greatly appreciated ;) additionally fic commissions are open! catch me on twitter @hirokiyuus for more information!


	6. izumi + nazuna - tsubasa reservoir chronicle au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> features implied shu/nazuna and chiaki/izumi, set in outo.

“do you think itsuki-kun would mind,” nazuna says one day, kicking his legs against the counter in the back of the cafe, “if i asked if we could call each other by name?”

izumi raises a condescending eyebrow, except he’s wearing an apron and carefully frosting a pan of cupcakes, so it’s not that intimidating. not that izumi’s been intimidating for a while -- at first, maybe, when nazuna had just woken up and could barely remember his own name, but now nazuna looks at izumi and all he feels is safe. “why are you asking me about your relationship issues?”

nazuna laughs. “well, i can’t exactly ask itsuki-kun,” he says, giving a little half a shrug. “and if i ask morisawa-san he’ll tell me just to go for it without even thinking about it. you know how he is.”

izumi’s hands tighten a little around the frosting bag. “yeah,” he mutters, and ducks his head, “i know how he is.” nazuna can’t quite help the softening of his smile. the way morisawa and izumi move around each other makes him happy; watching izumi’s smiles come a little easier around morisawa is such a kind thing. “still, why are you asking at all? if you want to, just do it.”

nazuna gives a little half shrug, leaning back in his seat. “i still can’t tell what itsuki-kun thinks of me,” he admits, twisting a lock of hair in his hand, staring down at his lap. “like, sometimes i think we’re getting along, but sometimes he just seems so upset when he talks to me, and i just…. i don’t know.” he tugs at his hair a little harder before he lets go, hands dropping down to rest on his thighs. “i want to be closer with him.”

when he looks up izumi’s got this weird look on his face, but before he can figure out what it means izumi’s scowling again. “then ask him, idiot. you’re the only one that can close the distance if he won’t do it himself.”

nazuna looks back down to his lap, to hands whose details he still doesn’t know all the details of. “yeah,” he says, and then nods. “yeah! you’re right. thank you, izumi-san.” he hops off the counter, smiling brightly at izumi, and when izumi scowls back he laughs, giving a little wave, and walks out of the kitchen.


	7. wataru/tomoya - movie night

They’ve done this before, a few times now -- Tomoya’s learnt where Wataru’s family keeps all the dishes, knows how to work their shower and which drawer has all the spare bedding. It’s nice and easy, words he’d never thought to associate with anything about Wataru before. Things have changed, he thinks, and rests a little more of his weight on Wataru.

At some point during their movie marathon they’d started leaning up against each other, so that Tomoya’s resting on Wataru’s shoulder and Wataru’s cheek is pressed against Tomoya’s head. It’s warm and comfortable and Tomoya feels every single breath Wataru takes. At some point his eyes start to flutter shut; at some point his arms uncross and his hand slips down to rest next to Wataru’s, so close their fingers overlap. 

He’s half asleep when he feels Wataru’s head lift, and then there’s a single moment of light pressure before Wataru rests against him again. “Buchou…?” Tomoya manages, not quite able to lift his head.

There’s a half-second skip in Wataru’s breathing before he huffs out a laugh. “Go back to sleep, Tomoya-kun,” he says, softly. His fingers twitch, just a little, and then his palm is pressed against Tomoya’s. “We can talk more in the morning.”

Tomoya’s got half a mind to argue, just out of habit, but when he opens his mouth he yawns instead and from there it’s easier to just bury his face further into Wataru’s shoulder. “Mmkay,” he says, squeezing Wataru’s hand, and when Wataru’s breath does that same little hitch as before he lets himself smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wrote this to bribe my friend into sleeping LMAO lowkey this is supremely embarrassing but It's Fine
> 
> catch ya girl on twit @hirokiyuus


	8. 3sen collection - august to december 2016

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> collection of birthday celebration 3sen, september to december (keito, mitsuru, chiaki, ritsu, yuzuru, shuu, rei, izumi, kaoru, hokuto, & mika), with some misc in the middle.
> 
> fusions that contain spoilers for other series will be marked appropriately!

**rei/keito/eichi - beauty & the beast au**

Keito’s been gone nearly three weeks now; with every day that’s gone by Eichi’s felt himself growing more and more on edge. He’d been last seen heading out to that castle past the forest, and Eichi knows best what kind of creature lives in that place - he’d been the one to lay the curse on the prince that had lived there, after all.

“We’ll find him,” Eichi vows, rallying the town around him, “no matter what.”

 **keito + leo**   **\- taking care of animals**

He hears the mewling before he sees it; halfway to the archery hall Keito stops and turns, ducking around the building to find the source. “Hey, Keito!” Leo calls, sprawled in the dirt, hand reaching under the building, “Good timing!”

“Tsukinaga,” Keito starts, because the hall might be a lawless zone but the outside of it is not, and then his eyes catch on the tiny creature in Leo’s arms and he forgets what he was going to say.

**keito/wataru - author au**

Keito spots the book lying half open on the counter, dog-eared and worn; “You’re a fan of Mizuhanome-sensei?” he asks, before he can stop himself, and Hibiki’s smile brightens more than Keito’s ever seen before.

“Of course!” Wataru exclaims, and swoops in front of Keito to pick up the book. “His plots are always so intricately crafted, and his characters are so complex and yet he always gives them such attentive detail --” and as Wataru rambles on, oblivious to the fact that Mizuhanome-sensei is, in fact, standing right in front of him, Keito feels his cheeks heat up as he starts to regret ever asking the question.

**yuzuru/chiaki**

This man is an idiot, Yuzuru decides, acidic thoughts hidden behind his polite smile. Morisawa Chiaki is smiling and jumping around, arms flailing, no thought to how he might look at all; such a total disregard for appearance and good taste makes him ill. And yet the way Morisawa’s eyes curl up into such a genuine smile makes it impossible to hate him -- not completely.

****chiaki/kanata - after a show**  
**

Chiaki likes to lean against Kanata, after shows. It’s easy, when the rest of his unit is dead on their feet, to relax, to let a little bit of the weight off his shoulders, to rely on someone else. “Good 'work,' Chiaki,” Kanata will says, soft and sweet, and Chiaki will close his eyes and smile.

****chiaki + izumi - hospital au**  
**

He’s seen a lot of people come in and out of the hospital since he died -- it’s been three and a half years since Izumi sat up, looked down, and realized the surface he was lying on was not a bed but a table in the morgue. In all that time no one living’s ever been able to see him, and he’s never found another ghost; over time anger had given way to fear and loneliness and then slowly to a resigned acceptance. At this point Izumi knows he’s never moving on, alone and unseen -- and just as he thinks that, he drifts through a wall, hears a crash, and when he looks down a pair of wide brown eyes.

****chiaki/eichi - kingdom hearts au** **

“There’s no point to having one,” Eichi says easily, rubbing absently at his chest.

Chiaki can’t help tracking the movement of Eichi’s long fingers, even as he says, “Of course there’s a point,” and tightens his grip on his Keyblade.

Eichi laughs, lightly,  and when Chiaki drags his eyes up to meet Eichi’s, Eichi’s smile is gentle; more gently than before he says, “I can’t possibly imagine what it would be.”

**chiaki/eichi - kingdom hearts au, pt2**

“Do you really want to know how it happened?” Eichi asks, watching Chiaki’s eyes slowly slide down to the place where his heart would have been, if it still beat. It’s been six years since he brought the Shadow to his lab and opened the cage, but when he closes his eyes he can still see the Heartless’s bright yellow eyes; even now he smells the burnt musk of darkness.

“I…” Chiaki says, trailing off, and his hesitation is so earnest that Eichi can’t help letting out the slightest laugh.

**chiaki/eichi - kingdom hearts au, pt3**

There really isn’t a point to it, Eichi decides, pressing a thumb to his wrist and feeling a pulse for the first time in years. He’s still got Chiaki’s voice ringing in his ears, shouts of “ _be careful_ ,” and “ _get out of here_ ,” and, with his voice cracking, “ _Tenshouin_ ,” like background noise in his head in the silence of his bedroom; absently he wonders if Chiaki cried when Eichi vanished like smoke as Heartless swarmed them on all sides. “Maybe I should find out,” he says out loud, over the sound of his heartbeat, and smiles.

****chiaki/eichi - first kiss**  
**

“I don’t --” Eichi says, and then stops, half a breath from Chiaki’s face; Chiaki could move in but he’s known Kanata long enough to know the value of patience, and so he waits. “Chiaki,” Eichi says, hand reaching up to rest it against Chiaki’s face, and Chiaki can’t help leaning into it, breathing out the tiniest sigh. And that’s all it takes to prompt Eichi to move in, hesitant in the way he never is, pressing his lips slowly to Chiaki’s.

**chiaki + eichi - hospital friends**

The nurses leave him parked in his wheelchair at the back of the audience before they slip off, their hands already reaching for each other. They’re probably assuming that a normal ten year old would be too caught up in the show to notice, but Eichi has hated heroes for a long time already; still, he’s grateful for the chance to be on his own, and takes the time to relax in the fresh air, closing his eyes against the sun.

And then a voice from his side pipes up, “Hey, are you okay?” and Eichi’s silence is annoyingly shattered.

**ritsu - reincarnation (bnk) au**

Ritsu was seven years old when he was finally adopted. His birth mother had died years ago and his father was long gone, and beyond that he had no other biological family, but he doesn't need them anyways, not when he has Maa-kun and Mama and Papa. Still, every so often he wakes from nightmares with the word, “Nii-chan,” on his tongue, and he's got no idea where it comes from.

**ritsu + rei - yokai au, pt2**

He spends most of his time sitting on Rei’s porch, toes dangling down into the mud; Rei likes to watch him, the way his neck curves down towards the ground, the way droplets of rain slide down the knobs of his neck. The creature still won't tell Rei his name but Rei has learnt the value of patience. He can wait.

**ritsu + tea club - rest**

The sun has gone down but Ritsu makes his way to the terrace anyways. It's empty but there are things that linger after people leave; the pillow that Ritsu sinks into smells like lavender, and he presses his face against the soft silk of it. Quietly, easily, he sleeps.

**ritsu + rei - birthday celebration**

It’s four in the afternoon and there’s still no call. Ritsu picks at the hole in couch pillow and tries to pretend he’s not sneaking glances at the phone; “He’s probably just busy,” Mao offers from Ritsu’s side, and Ritsu picks a little harder -- business shouldn’t matter today, of all days. He’s gotten cake and presents and Mao didn’t complain once about carrying him but it's still shaping up to be the worst birthday Ritsu’s had, and with every quiet second that feeling gets more and more solidified.

**ritsu/izumi - thigh highs**

“Isn’t it,” Izumi manages, before he has to swallow, “ _your_ birthday?”

“Duh, Secchan,” Ritsu says, rolling his eyes, even as his tiny grin gives him away. He leans a little further back on the bed, raises his leg a little higher, so that all of Izumi’s attention is caught on the pale strip of thigh between his socks and his oversize shirt, and says, “But I figured you might like this present too.”

**ritsu - tsubasa reservoir chronicle au, acid tokyo**

“I’m not going to let him find me,” the vampire says, and his smile is an ugly wound across his face. “I don’t know what he told you, little rabbit, but that _thing_ is not my brother.” He raises one clawed hand, and Tomoya is cold to his bones; the vampire stalks forward step by step, the noise of his boots echoing in the empty hall, and as Tomoya shivers the vampire’s smile widens.

****ritsu + izumi - during the times leo was gone**  
**

Izumi’s taken to long sleeves, even though it’s summer, tugging at the edges of them when the days get too long, when he has to sit still, when too many people look at him. They’re all frayed at the edges, but Ritsu doesn’t know how to sew. Instead he folds them up when he can, ignoring Izumi’s scowl, and when they end up rolled back down there’s nothing else he can do.

**ritsu/yuzuru - after school**

At half past four the classroom should be empty, but when Yuzuru opens the door there’s a figure slumped over on the desk. “Sakuma-sama,” Yuzuru calls, but Ritsu doesn’t move; his breathing is even and easy. The sunlight catches on Ritsu’s eyelashes, falls easily on his parted lips, and Yuzuru’s mouth feels dry for no reason he can understand.

**shuu + nazuna - sleepover**

By the time he finishes Nito’s fitting it’s dark out, rain coming down heavy and fast. Nito’s hands curl against the glass as he looks out the window, biting his lip, and before he knows what he’s doing, Shuu asks, “Would you like to stay the night?” Nito’s head whips around to stare at Shuu, eyes going wide as his face reddens, and Shuu’s own face goes pink to match.

**tetora/hinata - swimming**

Looking at him underwater Tetora has dissolved into tan skin and black hair. Hinata keeps his eyes open to watch even as saltwater stings them, breathing out a steady stream of bubbles from his nose, until reluctantly he has to surface. He’s only just pushed the hair back from his face when Tetora surfaces next to him with a splash and a grin, sending Hinata sputtering; before long the two are tired and laughing and still trying their best to pull each other under.

**mao/makoto - actor/scuba diving instructor au**

“Don’t worry,” says the instructor, and his smile is so kind. Makoto knows he must be a disappointment -- he’s famous, his face is on billboards the world over, and here he is, quaking at the thought of just a little water -- but the instructor isn’t rolling his eyes, just looking at Makoto so patiently and warmly. “I promise,” he says, holding out his hand, “that I won’t let anything happen to you;” slowly, reluctantly, Makoto reaches out and takes it.

****kaoru/kanata - maid cafe**  
**

Morisawa’s living it up, of course, wearing that short skirt like it’s nothing, like a cross-dressing maid cafe isn’t the worst idea that Kaoru’s ever heard of; when the door slides open Morisawa grins at the visitor widely, shouting, “Kanata!” with a wave as he bounds over.

Kaoru tugs his own skirt down, cheeks reddening, because of course Kanata would come visit when Kaoru’s wearing what’s got to be the most embarrassing outfit of all time, but when Hasumi glares at him he turns too, pasting an awkward smile on his face as he stutters out a “W-Welcome.”

And Kanata’s eyes are lower than they should be, wider than usual, and when his gaze finally meets Kaoru’s there’s a hint of pink on his cheeks that Kaoru’s never seen before.

**keito/souma - injury**

“Honestly,” Hasumi says, clicking his tongue as he kneels down in front of Souma. He’s frowning, but his fingers on Souma’s ankle are gentle, even though the press of them makes tears well up in Souma’s eyes. “Let’s get you to the nurse’s office,” he says, straightening back up, slinging an arm around Souma’s waist as he pulls Souma’s arm over his shoulders, and up close like this all Souma can smell is incense and green tea.

****kaoru + kanata - merman au**  
**

The creature is all locked up, chains stretched around the glass tank, and the auctioneer steps a little further away from it than he has from anything else even as he announces the mermaid with a bright smile. Kaoru’s father stands to bid, letting go of Kaoru’s hand as he does, and Kaoru takes the chance to scoot a little further in his seat to get a better look. The boy in the tank doesn’t look any older than Kaoru, but the fluttering gills on his neck and the shining blue tail are so unlike anything Kaoru’s seen before that Kaoru is captivated -- and then he turns his head, slitted pupils staring straight into Kaoru’s eyes, and Kaoru flinches back into his seat.

**yuuta + shinobu - mushishi au**

“I’ve been looking for it for years,” Yuuta says, tugging at his bangs, “ever since my brother first found it.” Shinobu doesn’t say anything, just listens and waits, leaning forward the slightest bit as he clutches his knees. “I don’t know,” Yuuta says, and his voice sounds so quiet, “It probably won’t even do anything, but I want to find it anyways.”

**wataru/keito/eichi - d.gray-man au**

Eichi’s the only one of them with a parasite type, and it shows. He’s never been healthy anyways, but when Innocence crawled into his lungs and made a home for itself there he felt his body start to break down day by day. Wataru carries him home after missions, Keito presses pill after pill into his hands, and yet still his breath grows shorter and shorter -- one way or another Eichi knows this war is going to kill him.

**keito/eichi - orpheus au**

He claws his way down to the Underworld, hand over shaking hand, holds his breath and swims the Styx with his eyes wide open. “You want him back that badly?” Hades says when Eichi staggers into the throne room, raising an eyebrow even as his lips curled into an easy smile.

“Yes,” Eichi says, because it was never supposed to be -- “Yes, I do.”

**natsume/subaru - little mermaid au**

“I want to go up there,” the princeling says, eyes sparkling, and as he points his gills flutter in the water, “I want to see everything up in the sunlight!”

Natsume leans over his cauldron and chokes down the ugly feeling crawling up his chest. “And what will you give for that?” he asks, tapping one long nail against the cauldron’s iron rim, and when Subaru looks at him, still shining, he makes himself smile.

**natsume + subaru - deal with the devil au**

The devil’s got a bright smile and pretty eyes, Natsume thinks. “Hi!” he says, stepping right up to the edge of the summoning circle, and then he asks, “So what can I do for you?”

“I have a wish,” Natsume says, leaning closer to the devil, and the devil blinks twice at him, still smiling, as he waits.

**yuzuru/koga - bed sharing**

Koga’s got his legs all pulled up, feet pressed against Yuzuru’s legs even though they’re ice cold, and Yuzuru gives the blankets an extra hard tug as he rolls away. Not that it does anything, of course -- Koga could sleep through a typhoon, so the most he does is snort a little and then roll back towards Yuzuru, getting tangled in the blankets and shoving himself all up in Yuzuru’s space again. Yuzuru gives the blankets one final tug but there’s no way to pull them away, and resignedly he sighs, moving in towards the blankets -- and if that happens to take him closer to Koga, well, no one else is awake to see.

**yuzuru + keito - art student au**

Yuzuru’d long since given up on art; years of failed classes had taught him that there are some skills that even hard work could not salvage, and so when the stranger comes up to him one day after classes all Yuzuru can do is laugh and say, “I don’t think you have the right person.”

He shakes his head, and says, “You drew the monster on the posters for the Halloween party, didn’t you?” as he flips open a composition book to pass to Yuzuru.

Yuzuru takes it without quite meaning to, looks down and flips through slowly to see a whole scribbled story of monsters and fear and love, too, aching and deep; and when he looks up the stranger looks at him intently and says, “I want you to draw for me.”

**2b - heist au**

It’s always Yuzuru and Arashi who take the lead for these kinds of things; Arashi clings to Yuzuru’s arm with a smile as Yuzuru slips casually through the party as Mao directs him. When they reach the back of the room Arashi lets go, slinks towards the guards, and smiles so charmingly that they can’t look away to notice Yuzuru slipping through the door into places he’s not supposed to be. “Alright,” he says, as the door closes silently behind him, reaching up to adjust his headpiece, “where to now?”

**yuzuru/arashi/mika - nightmare**

Yuzuru wakes up suddenly, doesn’t shoot up in bed but it’s a near thing, heart pounding even as his eyes stare at his dark ceiling. He can’t remember what he dreamt but it was enough -- shakily he reaches over, and when his hand touches soft skin instead of blankets his head head twists. There’s someone lying there -- two someones -- and even in the faint light he can see two hoops in one ear and then a mess of black hair, and slowly his breath evens out.

**rei/keito - dress up**

“How is it?” Rei asks, reaching up to adjust the _haori_. He tugs his hair from under the coat, and for a second Keito is caught by the pale skin of Rei’s nape.

Rei’s eyes catch Keito’s and he’s smiling, still holding up his hair; Keito turns away and shoves up his glasses, even as he admits, “It looks fine.”

**izumi/yuzuru - forced to getting along**

“And you know what, I really can’t stand you,” Izumi snaps with an air of finality, but when he goes to turn away Yuzuru’s reaching up before he can stop himself.

“Sena-sama,” he says with a smile, and tightens his grip enough to bruise. Izumi’s looking at him, stiff and cold as a glacier, and Yuzuru’s smile widens a little bit as he says, “I think we might have gotten off on the wrong foot.”

**rei + yuzuru - vampire/hunter au**

“Come now,” the voice says, and a hand falls lightly on Yuzuru’s shoulder even though he’s the only one in the mirror, “You don’t need to look so serious.”

Yuzuru’s breathing is even and his shoulders are loose, but even he can’t help the slightest twitch of his fingers towards his belt, and there’s a soft laugh in his ear. Still, Yuzuru smiles, turns his head enough to see the creature, and says, “I apologize; I didn’t mean to offend.”

**shuu/nazuna - waking up together**

There are hands in his hair, stroking through it gently. Shuu comes awake slowly, lets his breathing match the pace of their movement. Finally he lets his eyes open, takes in the sight of Nito lying next to him; Nito smiles, says, “Good morning,” softly, and Shuu lets himself smile back.

**shuu - haunted house au**

He celebrates his birthday in the morning, lets Kagehira and Nito and Kiryuu make him breakfast and fuss over him the way they always like to, but when night rolls around it’s Shuu’s playground. He steps easily through the once-empty warehouse, makes sure everyone’s in their positions, fixes Kagehira’s positioning and adjust’s Nito’s costume before he dons his top hat. Then the doors open, curious college kids and disaffected teenagers stepping through, and Shuu welcomes them with a smile.

**shuu - middle school**

Most days he’s out the door the second the bell rings. It hadn’t been such a big deal in elementary, back before everyone started spending all their time worrying about the opposite sex (and wasn’t that a word that made Shu’s cheeks heat up); a boy sitting alone and sewing had been a little odd but it hadn’t been anything to make a fuss over. And then puberty hit and it seemed that everyone had collectively decided Shu’s hobbies were too prissy or faggy or whatever, and Shu’d resorted to sneaking into half-abandoned stairwells just to find a place to sew in peace; he settles down, needle already in hand, and if the sound of his breathing echoes a little too loud, well -- it’s just his imagination.

**shuu/nazuna - caught in the rain**

Nito is laughing, even as their footsteps slap against the pavement and rain soaks their hair. “Hurry,” he calls, and when he glances back over his shoulder the way eyes curve from smiling so hard makes Shuu stumble over his own feet. Nito laughs again, reaches back to tug Shuu forward, and all the irritation Shuu had felt towards being caught in the rain just vanishes.

**hokuto/yuzuru - camaraderie**

They’re not quite friends, if Hokuto’s being honest. They’re friendly enough, have spoken a few times, but Fushimi isn’t even in the first ten people that come to his mind when he thinks of his friends. All the same, though, there’s a quiet camaraderie between them that springs up quite organically; they sit across from each other in the library and can rely on the knowledge that here, at least, is someone who won’t need them.

**hokuto/natsume/subaru - flip flappers au, episode 9 // flip flappers spoilers**

He’s been locked up with those brothers for minutes or days or years, he doesn’t know. “He’s not coming for you,” Rei says, and outside the window Subaru’s grabbing at the coin in Natsume’s hand. “He doesn’t care about you,” Ritsu says, and when Subaru trips Natsume with a laugh Hokuto’s inclined to believe them.

**hokuto/tomoya - tomoya teaching hokuto something new**

For once his smile isn’t all lit-up and starstruck; Tomoya threads the string onto his hands easily. Hokuto watches carefully but it’s just a bit too fast, and then Tomoya’s holding out his hands towards Hokuto. “Just pinch the crosses and pull them under,” he says, grinning, and so Hokuto reaches out.

**hokuto/natsume/subaru - coffee shop au**

They stopped putting Natsume at the register after the sixth complaint about occultism, and after the time Subaru took all the quarters out of the register (leaving cash in their place, of course), it became Hokuto’s job exclusively. It’s not bad working the register while the others mix drinks, if he’s being honest -- which he isn’t, usually, because if he says one positive thing about Subaru’s performance he goes wandering off and Natsume takes any compliments from Hokuto as a personal affront. All the same, though, quietly, he enjoys his job.

**hokuto/natsume - pining**

Sometimes Natsume has this way of smiling, all soft and easy and rounded. It smooths away all the harsh corners of his mouth and the sharp cuts of his eyes, leaving him open and young. Hokuto’s never seen it directed his way but still, it takes his breath away.

**mika + shuu + nazuna - christmas (past)**

They’d both gotten him sweets -- Itsuki had baked a cake for their little party, but it’s the small bag that Nazuna deposits in Mika’s hands that catches his attention. He glances up but all Nazuna gives him a tiny smile, and so he pulls the ribbon off and peers inside to see all sorts of 100 yen candies. He can already feel Shuu’s disapproval but still a grin splits his face open wide, and when he thanks Nazuna, Nazuna manages a soft, whispered, “You’re welcome.”

**mika + yuzuru - christmas (present)**

By the time the sun has set Mika’s eyes are still hurting and his throat is still aching, and despite his happiness there’s a bone deep exhaustion running through him. Itsuki is back in bed and Nazuna had gone to find his kids, and so he’s alone when fine walks by, Yuzuru at the back of the group. Still buoyed by earlier Mika raises a hand and calls, “Yukkun, Merry Christmas!”; and when Yuzuru turns, the surprised warm smile he gives Mika makes Mika light up too.

**mika/yuzuru/arashi - christmas (future)**

Mika was always clumsy in the kitchen but Yuzuru helps; together they manage a simple pasta, even as they sneak little kisses the whole time. It’s all laid out nice on the table when Arashi comes in, hair dusted with snow and a Christmas cake in his hands. “You guys,” he says, and his smile is so warm and bright that before he knows he’s moving Mika’s crossing the room to kiss him too.

**mika + shuu - god and acolyte au**

Shuu-sama’s fires always burnt so bright; some thought they were too crackling or sharp but Mika loved them since he’d first come to the temple as a boy. He’d been so cold that he’d huddled in front of the ceremonial altars, and even when the priests had dragged him away by the arm he’d never quite forgotten the feeling of it inches from his eyes; his clothes had had tiny scorch marks for days after. Shuu-sama in front of him now is little like that: bright and sharp and dangerous, and still all Mika can feel is his warmth.

**mika + shuu - surprise party**

“I kinda thought you’d forgot,” Mika remarks, from where they’re standing at the side of the party. Arashi’s there, and the rest of 2B, and Tsumugi and Hajime, and even Nazuna with the rest of Ra*bits; the cake’s mostly gone, the last slice sitting on a tiny plate by Mademoiselle, and it makes Mika smile to see.

“Of course I wouldn’t,” Shuu scoffs, head tilted up, and Mika’s laughter comes easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "wow rachel u sure write a lot of yzr" i know aki
> 
> eichia kh au has some [sweet ass fanart](https://twitter.com/chromaticafe/status/778146893083926528) courtesy of chakko
> 
> catch ya girl on twit @hirokiyuus if u wanna talk abt any of these my guys


	9. 3sen collection - january to june, 2017

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> collection of birthday 3sen, january through june (eichi, kuro, natsume, wataru, arashi, aoi twins, mao, tomoya, souma, nazuna, makoto, leo, shinobu, tetora, and subaru).
> 
> fusions that contain spoilers will be marked appropriately!

**eichi + yuzuru - delinquent!yuzuru**

Tenshouin follows behind at a distance, trailing along at a distance that makes it impossible for outsiders to tell if they’re walking together or not. It makes Yuzuru ill, makes the scabs on Yuzuru’s knuckles itch; he’d come here to escape those awful people and their awful money and yet here one was, smiling and whistling like ditching his bodyguards in favor of following Yuzuru around all day was the best thing he’d ever done. He glances behind him and when Tenshouin meets his eyes, he cuts a smile that’s more teeth than anything else and says, “I’m surprised they’re not expecting you home, Young Master.”

****[genna voice] cannibal eichi**  
**

This one’s got a good taste. He’s always liked rabbit meat and the way that boy had been jumping around, well -- it’s no surprise, the soft texture of the meat. He takes his time with the bite, chewing softly, and when there’s a whimper from the cage behind him, he laughs; “I’m sorry,” he says politely, “I’m being a rude host, would you like some too?”

**eichi - zombie au**

He wears his sleeves rolled up so everyone can see the bite marks. “Did you know,” he says, easily, whenever Wataru or Yuzuru have dragged the most recent troublemakers on his territory in front of him, “that even in asymptomatic patients, the virus is still present?” He smiles, here, raises a hand to tuck his hair behind his ear so they can all see the biggest one on his arm; “Just a touch of blood to blood and the infection spreads.”

**eichi/chiaki - kingdom hearts au, p4**

Halfway through the old lab broken glass crunches too loudly under Chiaki’s feet; he looks down at the picture under his boots and pauses seeing the soft easy smile on Eichi’s face. “Don’t you --” he’s speaking before he realizes, kneeling down to see the others in the photo: a grinning child, a long-haired man with a bright smile, a boy half-fading into the background “--miss them?

Eichi turns, shakes his head; “Honestly,” he says, and _this_ smile is flat and patronizing, “haven’t I said it enough times at this point?”

**eichi/chiaki - rpg au**

“I still don’t like him, Taichou,” Nagumo says, drawing nonsense shapes in the dirt with a finger as he eyes Tenshouin halfway across the camp, “Are you _sure_ \--”

“It’s fine, Nagumo,” Chiaki says; Nagumo eyes him but it’s not a decision Chiaki’s making on a whim. He’d like to trust Tenshouin’s soft smiles, but if Nagumo’s right and Tenshouin can’t be trusted then it’s better to keep an eye on him -- and then Tenshouin catches him staring and lifts a hand, and Chiaki can’t quite help the smile that spreads across his own face in return.

**eichi/chiaki - icarus au**

Even to the end Chiaki had shone enough to hurt Eichi’s eyes; even falling Chiaki had been brighter than the sun that melted the wax of his wings. He keeps a feather around his neck even now. Years have gone but he still remembers Chiaki’s shout when Eichi had reached for him, the way Chiaki had demanded even as water filled his lungs that Eichi, at least, fly on.

**kuro + nazuna - knights killers rpg party au**

When Kuro stumbles into the inn bathroom just before dawn there’s bright blond hair scattered on the counter. “Oh -- Morning,” Nazuna says, his hair trimmed back to the unevenness it’d been when he’d first joined their group, and his smile is stretched all wrong, brittle and bright as the scissors in his hand.

They’ve made it this far by not asking questions, and so all Kuro does is reach out, ruffle Nazuna’s head as he passes, and offer a mumbled, “Morning,” as he makes his way to the baths.

**kuro + yuzuru - designer/model au**

The guy’s got good shoulders for a sharper cut on his suit jacket, Kuro thinks. What he’s wearing right now isn’t bad but it’s obviously store bought; the waist is just a little too loose and the sleeves a little too long. It could be so much more flattering -- and just as Kuro thinks that the guy turns, and when their eyes meet Kuro feels his face going red for no good reason.

**kuro/chiaki - cop/mafia au**

When Morisawa walks by it’s not hard to point his eyes towards the sky like he doesn’t realize Morisawa’s got a gun in his hand. That’s not to say he trusts Morisawa, of course, but he’d been there when Morisawa’d had a gun to the head of the guy who’d been skimming payments off mafia money and then not pulled the trigger. “I don’t want to -- to hurt people,” Morisawa’d admitted quietly later, in the dark alley behind some dimly lit bar, and when he’d rested his head lightly on Kuro’s shoulder Kuro knew right then that if Morisawa ever ended up behind bars, it wouldn’t be because Kuro put him there.

**kuro/souma - musician/gravekeeper au**

It was not the first time his master had been called to play at a funeral, and it was not the first time that Souma had sat quietly behind Hasumi-dono during the ceremony and watched the gravekeepers at work. When his master plucked mournfully at his shamisen, Souma of course listened, but it was hard sometimes to keep his attention focused on Hasumi-dono’s performance when the gravekeepers moved in the back of the funeral home like wraiths and even harder when one had hair as red as Souma’s ceremonial robes.

His gaze was as usual unobtrusive, but there was a part of him that looked at the man in the back of the room -- tall and redhaired, arms full of lilies -- and wished that he was just obtrusive enough that the man might look back.

**natsume/subaru + hokuto - voyeurism**

Halfway through the door and Hokuto’s arrested by their intertwined fingers, by the contrast between Subaru’s tan and Natsume’s pale skin, by the way Natsume kisses with his eyes just slightly open. His mouth is dry, suddenly, and when Natsume’s eyes slide to meet his he flushes straight to the tips of his hair. Still he can’t quite move; Natsume smiles at him, just a little, and even when he opens his mouth to kiss Subaru a little deeper he doesn’t look away.

**natsume/subaru - playing video games**

If he were a different person, Natsume would admit the way Subaru’s tongue posts out just a little while he plays is endearing. As it is he doesn’t let himself do any more than glance at the expression out of the corner of his eye as his character finally knocks Subaru’s off the stage. Subaru drops his controller with a grumble, and looking at the tiny pout on Subaru’s face Natsume isn’t fast enough to push back the thought that right now he wishes he could kiss him.

**natsume + subaru - rpg au**

When he rounds the corner and sees the person there Subaru reaches up, starts to draw his sword -- and then the figure turns, tome in hand and spell already half off his lips, and for the first time since the dungeon’s defenses whisked them each away to different corners of the castle, a grin comes easy to Subaru’s face. “Natsume,” he says, letting go of his sword, and surprise wipes that focused look off Natsume’s face, composure slipping for the first time since they’d met.

“Baru-kun,” Natsume says, inscrutable smile back on his face, but Subaru doesn’t miss the way Natsume’s shoulders lower just a fraction when Subaru steps up to his side.

**natsume + hokuto - fortune telling**

“It’s called palmistry,” Natsume says. His thumb against Natsume’s skin is gentle, tracing the creases on Hokuto’s hands with a softer touch than Hokuto would have imagined from him. Still when he looks up his smile is sharp and easy, and when he opens his mouth again Hokuto leans in a little further.

**natsume + hokuto/subaru - flip flappers au, episode 5 // flip flappers spoilers**

Natsume hated Subaru of course, but he hated Hokuto too -- the whole _point_ was that he hated Hokuto, that was the reason he’d spent all those years by Hokuto’s side. So it was most definitely not jealousy that he felt tangling its way up his throat when he watched them settle into a life for just the two of them, and it wasn’t concern that he felt as day by day Hokuto’s eyes slowly glazed over. “Wake _up_ ,” he snarled, face too close to Hokuto’s, ten minutes til midnight, and the only reason he’d called Hokuto out here was because his and Subaru’s presence was interfering with the amorphous -- nothing more, nothing less.

**natsume + hokuto - flip flappers au, episode 2 // flip flapper spoilers ?**

And before he knows it Natsume’s got Hokuto’s arm in his hand. Hokuto turns, brow furrowed just a little, and Natsume’s mouth is dry for no reason at all. “Hokuto,” he says somehow, and when he can’t think of anything else to say he unpeels his fingers one by one and forces a smile; “Good luck,” he says, which isn’t what he meant to say at all, and Hokuto looks at him a moment longer before giving him a small, serious nod.

**wataru + oddballs - pacrim au, the oddballs are all drift compatible with each other**

Tonight it’s him and Rei -- Rei’s always best for night fighting, him and Natsume, but since Natsume’d been doing synchro tests with Kanata all day, when he tries to get up Wataru shooes him back into bed. “Niisan,” Natsume not-quite protests, but Kanata places a gentle hand on Natsume’s shoulder and gives Wataru and Rei a little wave.

“Have ‘fun’,” Kanata says, and Wataru doesn’t know where the ripple of emotion starts from, aggression and amusement all rolled in one anticipatory ball, but it echoes through the five of them as once; he smiles and without looking reaches his hand out to meet Rei’s as he gives a nod.

**wataru/tomoya - dream diary**

“Why don’t you keep a dream diary?” Wataru reaches out, presses a light finger to the shadows under Tomoya’s eye with a little smile, and without meaning to Tomoya’s heart rate picks up. “It might help with whatever bad dreams you’re having,” Wataru says, and Tomoya’s throat catches, because it’s not bad dreams that are keeping him up -- three days to graduation and it’s the theatre club’s last meeting, and for the past week all Tomoya’s seen when he shuts his eyes all is Wataru, closing the club door for the last time.

**wataru + tomoya - mushishi au**

It’s not the man’s strange long hair that catches Tomoya’s eye, nor is it the wooden luggage he carries on his back -- it’s the flute on his side, whittled from wood and rougher in appearance than anything else the man has on him. “Are you --” he starts without meaning to, but when the man turns to him all he can do is finish, “--a musician?”

The man’s eyes widen a little and then he laughs, grin widening as he taps his fingers on the flute; “No,” he says, and something about his grin makes Tomoya feel a little like he’s being laughed at, “I’m not.”

**wataru/keito - accidental compliment**

For once Hibiki isn’t making a mess, shouting and throwing those awful flowers everywhere. He’s just sitting on the edge of Keito’s desk and humming as he finishes up a form for the theatre club’s next production. And of course him sitting there making noise isn’t _ideal_ , but the song he’s humming is -- it’s nice, Keito thinks, especially in Hibiki’s voice, and it’s only when the paper drops on his desk and he looks up to Hibiki’s wide eyes that he realizes he said that out loud.

**trc au, ashura!wataru + fai!natsume // trc spoilers**

Snow he remembered and blood he remembered, but in all these years he’d nearly forgotten what they were like together, how snow sharpened the smell of iron to the point where air scrapes down a person’s throat. And so he’s breathing shallowly, can’t whistle, can’t speak; when he traces runes in the air his hands shake. “Natsume-kun,” Wataru says, shaking his head as his magic breaks through Natsume’s shields faster than he can draw new ones, “I thought I taught you better than this.”

**wataru + eichi - "of course you can fly!"**

“Of course you can fly!” the boy calls up, smile wide and arms flung open, “Just jump!”

Eichi pauses, hand curled on the windowsill, but -- his heart is beating, his breath is coming faster than it ever has, and for the first time in as long as he can remember he feels like he’s _alive_ , like he’s more than just a corpse rotting away in a hospital bed. He raises a foot to the window sill, readies himself, and then -- before he can jump there’s a scream behind him and then a nurse has her arms around him, dragging him away from the window; “Don’t,” he tries to say, and when he looks down the boy below has vanished.

**wataru + tomoya - preparing for a show**

Tomoya hesitates, the wig in his hand, looking down at all the clips and things on the table below; he’s never even tried to do his hair up before and he’s got no idea where to start. He instinctively looks up at Wataru, who meets his eyes for a moment and then smiles, smaller and easier than normal. “Here,” Wataru says, swooping down to pick up the first pin, but when he clips back Tomoya’s bangs his hands are gentle, and without meaning to Tomoya finds himself relaxing against Wataru’s touch.

**wataru + tomoya - steampunk au**

He expects he’ll be thrown overboard, when they catch him in the storeroom with a piece of hardtack between his lips, four days into the journey. They drag him on deck and he doesn’t look down, doesn’t try to make out each individual twinkling light beneath the airship, just keeps his eyes focused on the captain as he pushes his bangs back out of his eyes.

“Well now,” the captain says, and under his mask his eyes are bright with mirth, “It seems a little rabbit has made its way onto my ship, hmm?”

**touri + yuzuru(/arashi/mika) - flowershop au**

There’s been more and more flowers in the house lately, tucked to the side of Touri’s nightstand and displayed brightly on the dining room table. Yuzuru keeps humming, too, smiling more easily even when Touri knows he’s being an absolute brat. “What’s got you so happy, anyways?” finally bursts out of Touri’s mouth one day, and when Yuzuru insists it’s nothing Touri scrunches up his nose, because only an idiot wouldn’t notice how much brighter Yuzuru’s been ever since that first day he came home with a bouquet in his arms.

**arashi/izumi - pocky game**

“C’m _on_ , Izumi-chan,” Naru says, waving the stick in front of Izumi’s eyes with what he probably thinks is an enticing pout, “It’ll be fun!”

Izumi rolls his eyes; “You’re so _dumb_ ,” he says, even as he reaches forward to take the stick from Naru’s hands, “but fine, whatever.”

Naru gives a little cheer and leans forward to take the other end of the pocky in his mouth, and with Naru this close -- close enough that Izumi can smell Naru’s fruity shampoo, close enough that he can see the little flecks of color in Naru’s eyes, close enough that all he can hear is the sound of Naru’s quiet breathing -- Izumi can’t help but think that this might have been a bad idea after all.

**arashi/leo - rainy days**

They sit on opposite sides of the couch, legs all tangled together in the middle. For anyone else this would be quiet and still, with Arashi reading and Leo scribbling in his notebook, everything set to the backdrop of rain against the window, but Leo’s foot is tapping against Arashi’s thigh and he’s humming to himself as he scribbles in his notebook and laughs occasionally. Still, it’s peaceful, and as Arashi eyes Leo’s bright grin on the other side of the couch, there’s nowhere else he’d rather be.

**arashi/leo - mass effect au**

He’s stuffed to his ears with biotics, mass effect fields bursting out of his fingertips every time he so much as sneezes, and when he laughs the booming noise of it reverberates all the way down to Arashi’s bones even through the glass of the observation deck. “Fucking Cerberus,” Izumi snarls at Arashi’s side as they look down into the cell, his fingers flexing to and from fists; “I’m going to kill them,” Izumi says, “those fucking --” and then breaks off, because Leo’s attention has finally caught on them. He launches himself up, hovers in front of the glass propelled solely by biotics -- but it’s not Izumi or Ritsu he’s staring at with his wide glowing eyes but Arashi, and even with the anti-biotic glass between them Arashi’s still frozen in place, heart going triple time.

****arashi/mika/yuzuru - model/intern/makeup artist au**  
**

Fushimi’s been calling him over more often, having Mika adjust the lighting around Narukami’s dressing table, asking Mika to hold back Narukami’s hair so he can brush some powder on Narukami’s face. They’re all tasks that Mika can’t help but think Fushimi could probably do himself, but -- he likes being over there, likes the way Fushimi and Narukami murmur to each other, likes the look of Fushimi’s fingers gentle on Narukami’s skin. And more than that he likes the way Narukami’s been brightening more and more when he sees Mika, likes the way Fushimi’s smiles are coming easier and sloppier, less performed; in turn he knows he’s smiling more and more too.

**hinata + tetora - street fighting au**

He’s got bruises on his knuckles and blood in his teeth, but the guy’s still standing, smile bright on his face as he calls, “You’re not half bad!”

Tetora swishes blood in his mouth and spits it to the concrete, wipes his lips with the back of his hands and doesn’t stop the smile that creeps over his face. “Big words from the guy with the broken nose,” he calls back, and when the guy laughs Tetora’s already throwing himself forward again, heart singing with adrenaline and the whole world narrowed to him and this stranger, the wounds they’ve left on each other and the promise of more to come.

**yuuta (+ hinata + tetora) - magical 12th graders au // m12g spoilers?**

He hadn’t realized it at first, too caught up by that teacher’s pace, but halfway down the hall with the goldfish monsters on his tail Yuuta happens to glance at the window and -- stops. Nagumo runs into him from behind, snaps a, “Wh --Hey!” but Yuuta’s legs are frozen. Nagumo clicks his tongue, grabs Yuuta’s wrist with a “Come _on_ ,” and starts pulling, but even without his reflection in front of him Yuuta’s seeing Hinata’s body splayed in bright reds and pinks on the pavement, in the same outfit that Yuuta’s wearing now, and suddenly he’s wondering if maybe Hinata’s death really did have a meaning after all.

**mao/keito - haircuts**

“Ritsu used to make me do this for him all the time,” Isara says, voice is easy and comforting as the comb working through Keito’s hair. “He never wanted to go see an _actual hairstylist_ \--” and here Keito can practically hear the roll of Isara’s eyes “--so he’d just ask me to cut it when it got too long, and then whine til I said yes.” The comb pulls away only to be replaced by Isara’s fingers, carding lightly through Keito’s hair before he holds up a lock to snip; “Well,” Isara says, voice gentler than before, “that ended up being a good thing, I guess.”

**mao + ritsu - "what would you do if i killed someone?"**

He’s leaning against Mao’s back in the sunlight when the question comes, hesitant and out of place in the late fall air: “Hey, Ritsu,” Mao says, and the tone of his voice is strange enough that Ritsu’s eyes flicker open, “What would you do if I killed someone?”

Ritsu blinks twice, feels his eyelashes drag just slightly across the back of Mao’s shirt, and answers, “Maakun wouldn’t.” Still, that does nothing to dispel the heaviness that has crept over them, sudden and silent, so he says, “Well, I’d still stay with you, if you did.”

**mao/yuzuru - student council work**

“Here, for all your hard work,” Isara says, and when he presses the can to Yuzuru’s cheek it’s just cool enough that Yuzuru flinches away, slightly. Isara laughs a little, pulls away; “Sorry!” he says, voice apologetic, and when he smiles like this his left eye scrunches up more than his right.

“It’s quite alright, thank you for thinking of me,” Yuzuru says as he reaches to take the drink, and when their fingers brush any lingering coldness on his skin is chased away.

**mao + makoto - spaceship au**

He finds the stowaway in the storeroom a week and a half after they set off; Mao knows he’s supposed to report this to the captain but one look at the guy’s wide eyes and cracked lips, and Mao finds himself sitting down instead. “Hey,” he says, and when he rips open his lunch ration he holds it out instead of drinking.

“...Hi,” the guy says, and it’s the fact that he reaches and pulls back that makes Mao’s heart hurt, just a little; Mao holds it out a little further and when the guy finally takes it, Mao smiles.

**mao - kingdom au**

Sometimes when he wears the crown he thinks he can smell blood still on it. And Mao knows it hadn’t been anywhere near the fighting, hadn’t been on Tenshouin’s head when Subaru had swung his blade that final time, but -- still. Symbols are just symbols and crowns are just crowns, he tries to tell himself, but when he closes his eyes he’s hearing a laugh breathed right into his ear, and king or no, there’s no command Mao can give to banish it.

**tomoya + hajime - piggybacks**

Tomoya’s fingers aren’t any longer than Hajime’s, but there’s still a little fat on them that hasn’t quite left. “I can carry you,” Tomoya insists, reaching down to where Hajime’s still on the ground, wiping tears from his eyes, “It’s gonna be okay!”

Hajime hesitates, just for a second, but when he looks up into Tomoya’s earnest eyes, he finds himself reaching back.

**tomoya + hajime - mecha au**

His hands waver over the controls; that scientist had said piloting was easy, instinctive really, but still Tomoya isn’t quite sure he’s quite cut out for it. He’d seen the others, after all -- Hibiki’s grand gestures that swept enemies from the air, Hokuto’s quiet grace that so easily dispatched any attackers -- how could he possibly match that?

And then there’s a rumble, the ground shaking under his feet, and when Tomoya hears the quiet half cut-off gasp through his comms he’s reaching forward again, because even when they’re muffled Tomoya knows the noises Hajime makes when he’s afraid.

**tomoya + wataru - magic au, tomoya as a magic canceller**

When he touches the wand, its lights die under his fingers -- but before that familiar bitter disappointment can swallow him the magician makes a noise, soft and surprised. Tomoya looks up despite himself, and there’s delight growing on the magician’s face instead of disgust. “Tomoya-kun,” the magician says, eyes bright and intent on Tomoya’s face as he reaches up to clasp Tomoya’s hands on the wand, “This is -- Your magic -- Do you know how absolutely unique this kind of skill is?”

**tomoya + wataru - magician's apprentice au**

Tomoya still can’t quite believe he’d been allowed to stay, after the sorcerer had found him lying among the morning glories still half-dazed from his fall off the garden wall. When he wakes in the mornings, for a moment he forgets where he is, until he lifts his hands to rub his eyes and feels the scabs on his palm press against his face. And even then, it feels almost like a dream -- the light of the morning sun filtered through the open window, the musty lavender scent of his sheets, the soft smooth wood under his feet when he stands -- up until he hears a crash or a bang from downstairs and the boom of the sorcerer’s laughter will remind him that no, this is real.

**souma/keito - dragon/knight au**

When he reaches the top of the castle, there’s no dragon -- just a boy Souma’s age or maybe a little older, brow furrowed even in his sleep. Souma hadn’t heard anything about a prince being held here, but it wouldn’t be the first time Souma’d been misinformed about what was living in castle towers. “Hello?” he calls, stepping forward, and when he does a bone breaks under his feet; the boy’s eyes fly open, and as Souma meets slitted pupils on yellow irises, his hand flies to his sword -- it looked like he hadn’t been misinformed after all.

**souma + kuro (+ tetora) - houseki no kuni au**

“This is all I could save,” Kuro says, and the gem in his hands is black but streaked with color, reds and greens and blues. “This is all I could --” His voice cracks and he closes his hand around the fragment, small enough to rest in his palm. Rubies aren’t supposed to be brittle but all the same, Souma watches this fragile movement, and worries suddenly and irrational that Kuro is about to shatter in front of his very eyes.

**souma/adonis - medieval war au**

Years and years ago they’d trained together, long before the civil war rent the country into pieces, learnt swordplay and spellcasting together at the knight’s academy. They’d studied together and ate their meals side by side, and one dim night near the end of their fifth year Souma’d leaned forward under the willow trees to press his lips to the corners of Adonis’s mouth -- and then they’d graduated and left to serve under their lords, each understanding they’d likely never meet again but content with knowing they’d be devoting their lives to the same greater cause.

This, though -- this Souma could never have anticipated, staring out at the army riding under the black banners of the Lord Sakuma; in his red and silvers Souma’s throat feels tight, eyes scanning the bodies below him looking for a figure he’d know blind.

**nazuna/mika - forgiveness**

Even now, after that Christmas live, there are still times when he sees Nazuna and all that old hurt wells up -- Mika thinks about routines for two and the lowness of songs without soprano, and his chest gets tight. But there are other things too, more important ones: the sweet soft grin of Nazuna’s smile; the half-laugh that’ll trickle from his mouth sometimes when they talk; the way he lights up when Mika calls to him, full body and just a touch surprised, like he can’t quite believe Mika is calling out to him. And those things are worth infinitely more than any hurt Mika might feel, so quietly, he lets forgiveness take root in his chest.

**nazuna + eichi - fine!nazuna au**

He was of course used to the feeling of hands in his hair, but the way Eichi reached up to tuck a long lock of hair behind Nazuna’s ear was worlds away from the clumsy gentleness that Itsuki had once touched him with. “Why don’t we make a deal,” Eichi says, quietly, smiling, with his hand lingering by Nazuna’s face, “I need someone to serve as Hiyori-kun’s temporary replacement until his ankle heals up, and you want Valkyrie to be left alone, don’t you?” The question isn’t asked but it lingers in the air anyways, and when Nazuna finally nods that lock of hair slips back in front of his face, obscuring any expression Eichi might have made.

**nazuna/shuu - blood types**

It’s smeared all over his hands, under his nails, and when the nurse softly tells him where the nearest bathroom is, all he can do is stare at her a long moment without comprehending her words; “Itsuki-san,” she says, voice kind, “We’ll call for you right away, if anything happens with Nito-san.”

 _Oh_ , he thinks, _that’s right_ , and his gaze travels down to the mess on his hands. Nito was Type O, wasn’t he -- they were incompatible there as well, Itsuki useless to do anything for Nito when it mattered the most; “I’m fine here,” Itsuki says, hollowly, and the nurse gives him a small nod and scurries away, leaving Itsuki alone in the waiting room.

**nazuna/shuu - college au**

He comes home to Itsuki sleeping stretched on the couch, textbook resting on his chest and highlighter dangling from a slack hand. Nazuna swallows back the greeting that’d been halfway out his mouth and smiles, drops his backpack to the ground as he crosses the room; he pulls the highlighter from Itsuki’s hand and reaches to lift the book. As he does, though, Itsuki’s eyes flutter; “Nito,” he murmurs, voice thick with sleep, and his smile is so sweet and small Nazuna can’t help but bend down and press a quick kiss to his lips.

**nazuna/shuu - flower marked soulmates au**

Shuu sees the roses for the first time in months when Nito reaches up to take the microphone from Wataru’s hands during Tanabata, and when he does his breath catches, just a little. It’s been so long since he’d seen anything more than the tiniest leaf poking out onto Nito’s palm, and he’s unprepared for how hard the white lines on Nito’s skin hit him. And he’d known -- he’d known that Marks faded only with death, but -- there’s a difference between knowing something and seeing it, and Shuu can’t quite stop the rush of feeling that comes with knowing that this one thing, at least, still lies between them.

**nazuna + shuu - faerie au**

“You have to be more careful,” the boy says, quietly, as he pulls mushrooms from the circle around Shuu’s feet; “There won’t always be someone like me to help you.”

It’s something about the fluttery motions of his hands and the odd lilt of his speech that prompts Shuu to say, “Not every fey is as kind as you, then?”

The boy’s eyes flit up, and when he blinks twice his eyes go from brown to red to brown; “...They aren’t,” he says, “but it’s not like I’m that kind, either.”

**makoto/mao - monster/human au**

“You can touch them if you want,” Mao says, lifting Makoto’s hand up to rest right over his fangs, “I won’t bite.”

It’s times like these that Makoto can see the human Mao used to be, in easy grins and soft gentle movements, and not for the first time Makoto wonders why someone would curse _Mao_ , of all people. Makoto leans forward, presses a hand to a fang, and when he feels the magic running through it he promises himself, once again, that he’ll break this curse, no matter what it takes.

**makoto (+ subaru) - disbanded trickstar au***

He kept the necklace, and often times when the nights grew long Makoto would find it in his hands, twirling the chain on his fingers and pressing the pendant against his palms. The rest of the uniform was buried deep in his closet where he couldn’t see it; Subaru’s new unit didn’t even use it, plaid gone in favor of bright zig-zagging designs, and every so often without meaning too Makoto wondered what he’d look like wearing it too. But it’s not for him, not anymore, and when he packs up his Knights costume for performances, he keeps his mind empty of wishes.

**leo + eichi - human bioweapon au**

Mr. Fancypants Director sure likes to act like he’s Leo’s friend, even though Leo’s spitting on the ground every time he gets close, scratching on the glass in the hopes that one of the thousand viruses under his skin might break through the barrier between them. It just makes the asshole laugh, though, but Leo’s not dumb and he’s heard that head researcher talking about how it’s the work they’re doing on Leo that might help Mr. Director with whatever illness he’s apparently got, the one that’s got him sitting down after he stands for more than half an hour and has him coughing into that dumb handkerchief all the time.

It’d be easy enough, Leo thinks, watching the Director watching him -- pick at the same spot long enough and that’s all he’ll need to get one of the latent weapons under his skin out there where it can finally do what it was designed for.

**leo + shuu - military au**

They’d spent so long racing each other -- years together at the military academy, battling up the ranks after graduation, trying over and over to come up with strategies that would make themselves stand out against the other as Shuu’s careful perfectionism competed with Leo’s spontaneity; and they’d been so different but so driven that they’d pushed each other to new heights.

And then Nazu had defected with a good third of Shuu’s forces following behind, and Shuu had locked himself away as his whole life crumbled around him. Standing on top, alone, Leo can’t help the thought that everything below him feels much emptier than it did before.

**leo/izumi - soulmate au where they aren't each other's soulmate**

Leo traces his fingertips over it, sometimes, with a tenderness that even now takes Izumi’s breath away, that even now sets his heart fluttering. “I’m glad,” Leo says, tracing the five characters on Izumi’s hip, “that Sena has his soulmate;” his other hand tugs Izumi’s up and he presses a kiss against the palm.

 _How glad would you be if you didn’t have one too_ , Izumi thinks, as his eyes drift to the nickname under Leo’s eye; _how glad would you be, if you didn’t already have someone who belonged to you and you alone?_

**arashi + izumi (+ leo) - magical 12th graders au // m12g spoilers**

“You’d look good in something like this, I think,” Arashi says, and his smile is charming and coy as he holds a photo of a dark blue turtleneck up for Izumi to see.

Izumi clicks his tongue; “No thanks,” he says, and ignores Arashi’s pout as a hand flitters up to rub lightly at his throat. He’s far too familiar with the width of his throat, the feeling of his skin under his own hands; his mind flits as it so often does to the curve of Leo’s smile, and he pushes Arashi’s phone away as he forces himself to think of tonight’s cubic instead.

**leo + tsukasa - roleswap au**

It’s almost familiar, the newbie’s smile -- more bold and reckless than Tsukasa’s used to be, but all the same there’s that old edge of bright confidence that had once sat on Tsukasa’s own lips. “We’ll crush you!” the kid says, the too-high tilt of his chin betraying the uncertainty hiding under his grin; “Knights aren’t so weak they’d fall to some runaway coward king!”

Tsukasa laughs, for the first time since coming back to school; “I’ll look forward to it,” he says, easily, already thinking about which favors to call in for the live -- looking at the boy in front of him, Tsukasa might actually have to go all out.

**izumi + ritsu (+ leo) - noragami au**

“We’d know, right, if he died?” Izumi asks Ritsu, quietly, one night. The temple courtyard is empty but for the two of them, all the humans gone home and the rest of Leo’s shinki in the temple proper; ostensibly they’re cleaning up but Izumi’s knuckles clench tightly on the broom to move it as Ritsu leans in too close.

“I hope so,” Ritsu says, closing his eyes, dropping his forehead so it’s an inch away from Izumi’s skin, and for once there’s nothing smart coming from the tiny downward curl of Ritsu’s mouth; “I really, really hope so.”

**shinobu/mao - graduation**

Shinobu had never quite managed to outgrow Mao; even as Shinobu cradles Mao’s hands in his own, they’re just a little too small for it to be natural. “Isara-dono,” Shinobu says, voice quivering, “I will miss you, very much.”

“Thank you, Shinobu,” Mao said, and before he could let fear stop him he threaded his own fingers with Shinobu’s; “I’m going to miss you, too.”

**chiaki + tetora - kamen rider au**

Nagumo’s a good kid, but his habit of running _towards_ the sound of explosions instead of away was really starting to be a pain in the neck. Not only was it annoying when Chiaki was trying to sneak off to transform, but it was incredibly dangerous; even worse was the fact that no matter how hard Chiaki watched him Nagumo somehow always managed to vanish from sight before Chiaki could transform and drag him back to safety. He hadn’t been hurt yet, thankfully, but no matter how good Chiaki or that other Rider were, there was always a chance of collateral damage, and more than anyone else Chiaki didn’t want anything bad to happen to Nagumo.

**chiaki + tetora - bnha au**

Chiaki’s hands have begun to shake. It’s not a constant thing but it is a daily one, and every time he demonstrates his strength Tetora watches him shove his hands in his pockets, casually, easily, with a smile on his face. “Stop it,” he wants to say, “Stop using your Quirk;” but the words catch on his throat, because Chiaki is more than just his mentor -- Chiaki is a symbol of peace, and Tetora understands the importance of a hero.

****subaru + natsume - taz au, hunger!subaru + ipre!oddballs // taz spoilers**  
**

“I really don’t get it!” Subaru says, the cadence of his words off put by the staccato of his tapping fingers, “After everything I’ve told you, you’re really gonna keep going with your mission?”

Natsume folds his hands and thinks of Wataru’s laugh, of Shuu’s set shoulders, of Rei’s hand on his head and Kanata’s arms warm around him. “Yes,” he says, to the god at the other end of the table, “I will.”

**subaru + natsume - witch and thief au**

His wards are ringing for the third time that week; the thief doesn’t even have the decency to look sheepish when Natsume steps outside, just gives a little wave before bending down to continue pilfering Natsume’s herbs. “Get _out_ ,” Natsume says, and by now he isn’t surprised when the thief just laughs in response, even as Natsume begins to mutter an incantation for the largest fireball he knows.

He’s barely finished the first line when the thief takes off over the fence; “See you later, Natsume!” he calls as he goes, and when Natsume lets the incantation die on his lips, he isn’t smiling, not even a little bit.

**subaru + trickstar - rpg au, midas touch subaru**

The tea shop is sweltering in the summer heat; Mao’s pulled his hair into a ponytail while Makoto fans himself fervently at Hokuto’s side. “Akehoshi,” Hokuto says, and when he tilts his head Subaru is plucking at the bottom of his gloves; without hesitating Hokuto reaches forward and smacks the back of them. “Don’t do that,” he says, too sharp for the slowness of the day, and Subaru grins sheepishly in return.

**subaru + eichi - mob psycho 100 au**

“...and then I told Hokke -- oh, whoops!” In the middle of his story, a chunk falls from Subaru’s popsicle; he catches it with his powers, opens his mouth, and drops the whole thing into his mouth. Eichi watches the whole thing, but all Subaru does is give an exaggerated shiver and a muttered, “ _Brain freeze_ ,” before going back to his story.

It’s the casualness of it that makes him stop -- how Subaru will use his powers for things like this but when Eichi had the metaphorical knife to his throat he didn’t even push Eichi away; Eichi watches Subaru’s easy gestures with sharp eyes and forgets his own popsicle even as it melts in his hand.

**makoto(/subaru) - reassurance**

It’s dumb that he’s feeling nervous -- Makoto’d done plenty of solo shoots when he’d been modelling, and really, how different could a solo performance be? Still, he’s passing the microphone from hand to hand so he can rub his palms on his pants -- and then he presses against his pocket and feels something that was definitely not there when he’d washed his outfit last night.

Makoto reaches into his pocket and pulls out a hundred yen coin; it sparkles, and when he closes his fist around it, he can’t stop his smile.

**hokuto (+ subaru) - rebel prince au**

They’d cleaned out the old prince’s room before Hokuto’d been allowed to use it, but three weeks into his stay he slips getting out of bed and when he knocks his hand against the wall it rings hollow. Hokuto pauses before reaching out, and when he touches the wall he notices for the first time the faintest of cracks around the grout holding this stone in place.

When he pulls it out there’s a treasure trove of trinkets behind, shiny stones and copper toys, nothing of value but clearly cared for all the same; Hokuto holds them in his hands and for the first time when he wonders what happened to the prince who fled the war, he feels not afraid, but a little sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was originally planning to split this in half (jan - march, april - june) but like, of the twenty-five pages a good fifteen-twenty were for the first three months so, uh, i just left them all together.
> 
> *disbanded trickstar au is actually emi's (@adoringpast on twitter) and i think abt it all the time
> 
> leave a comment/catch ya girl on twit @hirokiyuus if u wanna talk abt any of these!


	10. dialogue reqs - shnz, assorted ships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a few friends and i did a bunch of dialogue drabble reqs, so i grabbed mine for here. they generally ended up more poetic/experimental/emo than what i usually care to post but i'm p pleased with most of them so??? please go easy on them though lol
> 
> shnz is tagged separately bc it's the only ship that got more than one req, lol

**eichi/tsumugi + "i wish i could forget you"**

When the phone rings Eichi answers, and he’s not even a minute into the call before his eyebrows pinch together. He says things, about the student council and the next big live, and when Tsumugi waves him off he smiles apologetically. It might even be genuine.

Circles are circles and somehow Tsumugi has found himself in this place again, alone on the terrace staring at an empty chair. The teacup is too full for how close his finger traces the edges of it -- he wets his fingers, but it’s gone lukewarm and he doesn’t pull back.

“I wish I could just forget you,” he says, quietly. Of course, there’s no response.

**shuu/nazuna + "do you want to be with me?"  
**

Whatever’s building in Itsuki is catching on all his jagged edges, Nazuna can tell. It tangles in Itsuki’s fidgeting fingers, has to dodge past Itsuki’s bobbing Adam’s apple. Three years of knowing each other and Nazuna might not know the storm that’s about to come slipping out of Itsuki’s mouth but he knows all its warning signs.

“Do you want to,” Itsuki says, swallows, pauses. His eyes slide on and off Nazuna like he’s walking on ice. “ _Be_... with me?”

**kaoru/kanata + "how am i supposed to breathe without you?"**

It’s not meant to come slipping out of Kaoru’s mouth -- it breaks like glass between the two of them, the bright glittering shards of it unmistakeable. _How am I supposed to breathe without you_ rings in Kanata’s ears, as if it’d been shouted instead of whispered. For his part Kaoru is frozen.

“Kaoru,” Kanata says, reaches up to cup Kaoru’s cheek. As always Kaoru is the ocean on a summer day -- warm and welcoming, a place for Kanata to drown. “You will be ‘alright,’” he says. His thumb rubs gently over Kaoru’s cheek; when Kaoru’s eyelashes flutter closed Kanata feels them drag over the pad of it. “You ‘will,’” he says, and feeling Kaoru’s quiet exhale against his skin he’s not sure which of them he’s talking to.

**shuu/nazuna + "i wish i could just forget you"**

“I wish I could just forget you,” Shuu grinds out. It’s a blunter weapon than Nazuna is used to hearing from Shuu’s mouth and he flinches. Shuu’s got two tufts of hair all tangled up in his nice hands and the worst part is Nazuna doesn’t even know if it was supposed to be an attack. The worst part is it might just be honest sentiment. The worst part is Shuu might mean it more than anything else he’s ever said to Nazuna, and Nazuna --

Nazuna doesn’t feel like he exists, sometimes. Shuu’s regard was a noose around his neck but at least that constant pressure reminded Nazuna he had a throat to be strangled. He opens his mouth and he can’t speak, again, only this time there’s no children to tug at him and nothing he needs to protect. Instead all that comes is an awful broken noise, and Shuu’s head snaps up when he hears it.

“Nito,” Shuu says, and for a moment he reaches out -- but then he pulls back, biting his lip. And like that it’s impossible not to make Shuu’s same wish, if only it kept that awful expression off Shuu’s face.

**ritsu/izumi + "i'd rather do hard with you than easy with anyone else"**

It’s one of those days where his brain is singing _Yuu-kun Yuu-kun Yuu-kun_ ; it’s one of those times where his hands are itching for a camera and a stage and a spotlight that doesn’t sit on him. His smile feels like a blight on the topography of his face. He buries it in the pillow and imagines suffocating, imagines breathing in feathers and dust until --

There’s a hand in his hair, petting slowly. Izumi stiffens, then relaxes. His breathing is out of tune with that steady rhythm. “Sorry,” he blurts, and wishes that he was dead. “You should just --”

Ritsu hums. “It’s fine,” he says, easily. “I like harder with you than easier with anyone else. It’s more fun.”

Izumi snorts and his breath stutters with it; when he blows out it’s slur and not a staccato. “You’re a piece of work,” he says, and when Ritsu’s fingers dig into his scalp he stutter-snorts again.

**wataru/tomoya + "do you love me?"**

“Do you love me?” Wataru asks, and Tomoya can’t look at him directly. There are mirrors all in the theatre and each holds a different piece of Wataru -- one for the trailing ends of his hair, one for the uncharacteristic stillness of his hands, one for the bright sharp needles in his eyes.

Tomoya’s mouth opens, closes; his hands are too large and heavy, his body a clumsy awful thing. Ordinariness, he thinks, would be better than this. The mirror hanging on the set catches the edge of Wataru’s smile, and Tomoya’s throat is a brick wall. “It’s alright,” Wataru says, and the rough edges of his voice have scraped away under Tomoya’s sandpaper silence, leaving behind something pretty and harmless. “Don’t --”

“I do,” Tomoya blurts. “I do.”

**hajime/touri + "you're too good for me"**

He says it with a little laugh, fingers fluttering around the edge of his teacup. _You’re too good for me._ His eyes don’t meet Touri’s. This conversation is an elevator and that sentence was the awful lurch in Touri’s stomach just before they began their unstoppable descent.

Hajme’s smile is not bitter because Hajime is not a bitter creature. “Hajime,” Touri says, and then Touri’s mouth becomes a butterfly: pretty and fluttering and useless. The space between them grows great and yawning and then it swallows the butterfly whole, leaving Touri utterly mute.

“Thank you for everything,” Hajime says, and his voice is very small.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ya girl's set up a writing twitter @yuunamakis if u wanna see what i'm up to! or if u just wanna chat my main is @hirokiyuus


	11. tsumugi/eichi, higurashi au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for emily as thanks for playing my revival while i was travelling WWWWW it's been a long time since i higu'd so any errors re:worldbuilding etc that you see happen to be my fault
> 
> warning for major higu spoilers!

He found Tsumugi near the old construction site, curled up on himself and staring down at the village as if he’d never seen it before. For a moment, Eichi too tried to examine Hinamizawa the way a stranger might, but no matter how hard he squinted it still looked like the same ugly cage he couldn’t escape.

Still, he went and sat by Tsumugi, walking loudly enough to keep Tsumugi from being startled. The ground was still hot, even though the sun was nearly finished with its slow descent. The cicadas were as loud as ever.

“You weren’t in school today,” Eichi said, lightly. He did not turn his head. Not for the first time he felt as though he’d failed Tsumugi. It had taken many, many summers for him to reach this point, and there were times where he wished he never had -- that he was as stupid as he’d been when they’d all begun this, and that he was still capable of thinking of Tsumugi as just a useful resource.

Still, there was no turning back, and by now Eichi knew how to recognize the absolute stillness of Tsumugi’s posture. Tsumugi sat in the same way a rabbit before a predator played dead as a last resort: trying to make itself into the emptiest possible thing to keep teeth from tearing at its throat. “I couldn’t make it,”  Tsumugi said, finally. His voice floated through the evening air, soft and lilting.

“Did something happen?” Eichi asked, as if he didn’t already know. Fifteen, he thought, was a horrible age to be stuck at. Old enough that he was expected to solve his own problems, young enough that the problems he couldn’t solve were dismissed as a child’s nonsense. Tsumugi had been killed three times in these endless years, and Eichi could remember every single one. _No signs of it_ , the adults said. _They seemed like such a happy family._

Well -- people thought Eichi seemed happy too. The stupidity of human beings was faintly disappointing but not a surprise.

Just as he’d expected, Tsumugi only shrugged at the question, their shoulders brushing with the movement. “Nothing, really,” he said, and Eichi knew the smile that would be on Tsumugi’s face then -- light and small, any truth locked behind that fathomless mask Eichi’d always struggled to pull off.

Eichi hummed in response. Affirmations would hurt but so would any arguments, and the older Eichi grew the more he came to long for just this: him, Tsumugi, and the whole of Hinamizawa sprawled below them, small enough as to be inconsequential. Small enough that they could just go, the two of them, leaving nothing and no one behind -- and even as he thought it he knew it was a pipe dream, the parasites in his blood promising death if he vanished for more than a moment. Already, he thought he could feel them, squirming in his stomach, ready to eat their way through intestine up and up and up --

“What time is it?” Tsumugi asked. There was, finally, weight to his voice, and so Eichi turned to look at him. He had a tiny frown between his eyes, and the effect was altogether far more charming than Eichi would have preferred. “You shouldn’t be out after it gets dark, Eichi-kun, your health--”

Eichi laughed. He had shot for politeness and wound up in the foothills of bitter instead. “I suppose you’re right,” he said, looking down at Hinamizawa one more time. Lights had begun to flicker on in windows, and Eichi wished he could exhale and blow every one out. He sighed without meaning to, and when he looked back Tsumugi had already stood.

“I’ll walk with you,” Tsumugi said, extending a hand down. Eichi remembered, so long ago, Tsumugi doing the very same thing, only for Eichi to wave him off and walk on his own. Now, though, Eichi reached up, took Tsumugi’s hand, smiled.

“I would like that,” he said, and it was even mostly true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> catch ya girl on twit @yuunamakis for writing or @hirokiyuus if u just wanna chat!


	12. shuu/nazuna - 1st years, drabble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how bout that new event fellas amirite

“You’re beautiful,” Itsuki Shuu murmurs, staring at Nazuna, the world shrunk down to the four and a half inches between their faces. There’s a wonder in his voice that Nazuna’s never heard before, an understated awe that bleeds through every motion when he reaches out to tip Nazuna’s jaw up, cradling it gently in his palms. “Breathtaking,” he says, so quiet it sounds almost like an accident, and Nazuna’s whole face feels hot.

 _This is what it is to be treasured_ , he thinks, and he only met Itsuki a day ago but he knows -- he never wants to lose this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reminder cha girl's got a writing twit @yuunamakis or follow me on twit @hirokiyuus if u wanna hear me continually scream abt the fact that shuu jumped out a WINDOW for this boy


End file.
